


Blade Runner 2085

by DanieMarie



Category: Blade Runner (Movies), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Blade Runner Fusion, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Badass Rey, Because a Blade Runner should actually use a blade, Character Death, Child Abandonment, Cyberpunk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Issues, Hopeful Ending, I put both franchises in a blinder and turned it on, Kylo Ren Angst, Kylo Ren Backstory, Kylo is a Blade Runner looking for answers, POV Multiple, Past Regrets, Rey Needs A Hug, What he finds is just a lot more questions, What truly makes one human?, tender moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-07-27 03:45:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 45,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16210727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanieMarie/pseuds/DanieMarie
Summary: Blade Runner 2085 takes our favorite characters from the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy and places them into the world of Blade Runner. Plot elements from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi have been blended with the vibe and themes of Blade Runner, and walks a close narrative with that of Blade Runner 2049.Kylo is a Replicant and a Blade Runner. When tasked with a mission to Retire an old Replicant with ties to the Resistance, Kylo stumbles upon a series of memories that cause him to question just who he really is. On his quest to find Luke Walker, Kylo finds himself at a moral crossroads when having to decide the fate of a young woman he's just met and is instantly drawn to. Deciding to look for answers to the mounting questions he's finding himself asking, Kylo ends up finding his own meaning to what it truly means to be human, Replicant, and if there's even a true defining distinction. But when the time comes, will he take the risks in order to hold on to that new found humanity and be more than what he believes he is? And is the promise of something new worth sharing or keeping hidden?





	1. Prologue

  * In the year 2032, Kamino Laboratories were the first to design genetically engineered humans for certain societal functions. While they were obedient and hardworking, they were little more than cloned versions of humans who acted like little more than robots.
  * The Techno Unions began rallying against Kamino Laboratories and called for the shut down to the “Clone” program. However, corporations throughout the galaxy had come to depend on the Clones, despite their robotic nature and short lifespan.
  * Lucrative businessman and political figure, Sheev Palpatine, saw this turn of events as an opportunity to expand his influence throughout the worlds and used his political power to sway the public in calling for more life-like versions called, Replicants.  Quietly, Palpatine acquired Kamino Laboratories in order to bringing it under his corporate empire.
  * By 2051, Imperial Industries had a monopoly on the Replicant market. Imperial Replicants were now quicker to create and could be tailored for an even wider range of needs.
  * As the number of Replicants grew, so too did a societal divide. Replicants were becoming harder to distinguish from Humans and this caused for some to cry out for legislative distinction, wishing Replicants to be defined as nothing more than tools or property with little to no rights. In 2064 Replicants began acting out by way of civil disobedience and calling for fair treatment and legal representation.
  * One of Palpatine’s partners, Hubert Snoke, saw this as an opening. In secret, Snoke began work on his own elite lines of Replicants and set up one of his own design, HUX, to begin The First Order Corporation.
  * Republic governments from the colonized worlds began restricting the uses of Replicants and called for more ways of easily identifying them from regular humans. Imperial Replicants were now being phased out. To quickly deal with the issue, most models were labeled for termination. But some managed to go into hiding on more lenient colony worlds, with the hope of one day living as Humans.
  * With the mysterious assassination of Sheev Palpatine, Hubert Snoke further pushed The First Order Corporation to the top and lead the government sponsored crackdown on late model Replicants with his highly trained and obedient versions.
  * Knowledge of the terminations have already began to spread, and a resistance group of Replicants and sympathetic Humans have begun to fight back. But it is whispers of something potentially new, hidden away among the stars, that give the Replicants hope.




	2. Assignment

_    “Ben! Come here kid. I wanna show you something.” _

 

_    He turns to see a tall man waving him over. He can’t help the excitement he feels. He’s waited for this day for a long time. He loves the feeling of flying. _

 

_    “You know what you’re doing?”  _

 

_    He reaches out his hand and enters his destination but it just pings. _

 

~

 

   Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!

 

   Kylo threw his arm out towards the noise and cracked open one eye to see who was messaging him on his data pad. At the sight of The First Order insignia he groaned and sat up as quick as his tired body could manage. Pressing the Accept option, Kylo was greeted with the image of Snoke’s corporate puppet, HUX. The two men stared at one another for a moment before the pale ginger haired man scowled. Kylo kept his face blank. 

 

   “Snoke has a lead on a Replicant leader that might be of interest to you. He requests you accompany one of my teams on a raid of the location.”

 

   Kylo sighed and rubbed his long face. 

 

   “Alright. Who is it?”

   “An IMP-1 model going by the name San Tekka. A resistance group has him in hiding. It’s believe he has information on the whereabouts of your main target.”

 

   Kylo sat a little straighter at that. He’d spent months trying to find any trace of Luke Walker.

 

   “I’ll be there. What time?”

   “2300. I’ll send you the address. And, if you can, try to bring someone back alive? We’d actually like to have the ability to question something other than a corpse.”

 

   The feed ended, leaving Kylo once again alone in his dark apartment. He leaned back against the sofa and blew out a puff of air and lost himself in thought. Maybe he’d finally find Luke’s whereabouts. But then what? Snoke just wanted him dead. But Kylo wasn’t sure what he wanted. 

   He got up from the sofa and walked towards his minimal kitchen. 

 

   “Lighting, level 3.”

 

   Slowly a harsh cold white light began to fill the rooms. Kylo stood in front of his Caf distiller and began to automatically fill it. He was more alert than most, but he still responded the same way to caffeine as a Human did. He then leaned against the counter and absently watched the machine. 

   Luke had meant something to him once. He and his sister Leia had been his designers after all. And after Leia suddenly disappeared, Luke continued to care for him. At least, he had until Snoke was ready for his custom designed play thing. Then Luke had given him up like he had meant nothing to him. 

   Kylo couldn’t understand it. He knew he was special. He had been told that by everyone all his life. ‘More human than any Replicant ever before. And more advanced than any human could ever hope to be.’ That’s what Snoke had told him. Yet here he was, being used like some run of the mill Replicant, doing Snoke’s bidding and being forced to work alongside his lap dog, Hux.     

   Ignoring the freshly brewed Caf, Kylo reached into one of his cabinets and pulled out a bottle of Carlem brandy and took a long swig as he made his way back to the sofa. Kylo laid back down, his long legs hanging well over the edge, and closed his eyes.

 

   “Lighting, level 0. Joi, play ‘Wait For Me’ by Vangelis. And set an alarm for 2200.”


	3. The Lead

   Poe wiped the sweat from his brow and licked at his dry lips as he watched the memory transfer on the monitor screen. San Tekka winced in pain as the information was scrapped from his mind. 

 

   “Hopefully this will begin to make things right. I’ve seen too much to just let this fall into the hands of The First Order.”

 

   Poe looked over to see the old man looking up at him. A weak smile spread across his thin lips. Poe nodded and gently squeezed the old Replicant’s hand. 

 

   “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she finds him.”

 

   The screen beeped and Poe removed the hard copied memories, placing them within the protective case. Poe excused himself out of the room as others assisted San Tekka from the chair and headed for the exit to where he’d parked his vehicle. 

  
  


   Outside he could hear the faint hum of hovering cars and through the thick fog what looked like dim lights. Poe opened the gull-wing doors of his car and grabbed his monoculars and stepped a few paces forward to try and get a closer look.

   His ears heard it before his eyes saw it, as a missile came out of the fog and headed straight towards him. Poe turned and ran as fast as he could back toward the building. The missile exploded into his car; the blast pushing Poe the rest of the way through the entrance. Poe rolled into the stair railing and looked back while gasping to see his Wing T-70 in flames. He scrambled to his feet and bolted the heavy door shut and turned to run down the stairs. 

 

   “They’re here! Everybody get out!” Poe yelled as he ran. 

 

   Both humans and Replicants looked up at the sudden noise. San Tekka stepped forward as Poe tried to catch his breath. 

 

   “The First Order,” Poe panted. “They’re here! You need to hide!”

 

   San Tekka just looked at Poe for a moment then ushered him towards a back room.

 

   “And you need to leave. Go now.”

 

   Poe tried to protest but San Tekka shook his head as he pushed away a shelf to reveal a hidden hole in the wall.

 

   “Go! Go!” the man yelled, sliding the shelf back into place as Poe quickly walked through. 

 

~

 

   FN-2187 waited for the rest of his F.O. Trooper Replicants to rush through the doors before following suit. He had been designed and programed for this, yet actually watching the doors blasted off their hinges and feeling the heat from the burning car took him by surprise. He didn’t understand the feeling, but he felt anxious and apprehensive about his first upcoming fight. 

 

_    You can do this. You can do this _ , FN chanted to himself.  

 

   The interior was dark save for the bright backlighting of monitors and the flashes of gun fire. The sensors in his helmet tracked any movement in front of him and the speakers amplified the screams. As the others in his unit rushed past on towards the adjacent rooms, FN-2187 staggered backwards and tripped. Stunned, FN laid on the ground for a split second gasping for breath. 

 

   “Get up!” barked the voice of his capitan. 

 

   FN scrabbled to stand. Looking down to make sure he didn’t trip again he saw the lifeless body of a man. FN swallowed to keep his last meal in his stomach and quickly moved after his team. Inside what looked like a cluttered storage room he found his captain holding an older man at gunpoint. 

 

   “FN-2194, FN-2187 - We found him near the tunnel. Go down there and check it out,” ordered PH4-SM4. 

 

   FN followed 2194 into the wall and down the ladder. The space was narrow with small bulbs of yellow light every few feet. He found it strange how, despite the lights, the darkness seemed to swallow the light rather than yield to it. 

   FN-2194 raised his gun and fired. FN looked in the direction and realized the motion sensor had detected movement. But before it even registered with him to raise his own weapon he heard return fire and the sound of 2194 groan and fall to the floor. Without even thinking, FN fell to his knees and threw aside his weapon.

 

   “Don’t shoot!” he cried out. 

 

   There was a pause.

 

   “What?” called another man’s voice.

 

   FN slowly took off his helmet and tossed it aside.

 

   “Don’t shoot! I...I surrender.”

 

   FN watched as a tall wavy haired male stepped out of the shadows, gun pointed right at him. FN squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for some form of pain.

 

   “This some kind of trick? F.O.s don’t surrender.”

 

   FN opened his eyes and looked around.

 

   “Uh...no? Look, I just...I don’t want to die. Okay?”

 

   The man seemed to straighten and his grip loosen a little. 

 

   “Huh. Some Trooper you are.”

 

   The man then turned and again entered the shadows.

 

   FN sat there in confusion but slowly lowered his hands. He looked back over at 2194 and then back to where the man had disappeared. He could faintly hear footsteps pounding on the ladder rungs and quickly stood.

 

   “Wait!” he called out. “Let me come with you.”

 

   He still couldn’t see the man but he heard him snort in humor. 

 

   “You kidding? You defective or somethin’?” 

 

   “Look, whatever it is you’re hiding, I’ll help you get it out, so long as you help me escape.”

 

   FN then bumped into the man and could feel him grab him and slam him against the wall.

 

   “Stop following me”, the man growled.

 

   At the sound of shouting and bouncing lights they both froze. The man swore and let go of him and paced for a moment before looking him dead in the eyes.

 

   “You want to help?”

 

   FN nodded in panic. The man pulled out a small metal case and placed it into his hand.

 

   “They can not find this”, the man stressed. “You understand? Any hope you Replicants have of living a normal life is on this device. You want to help? Then you make sure this finds its way to Leia Organa. You got that?”

 

   FN nodded. “Leia Organa. Got it.”

 

   The man stared at him for a moment.

 

   “I’m trusting you with this. We all are.”

 

   FN nodded, unsure of why he was agreeing. 

 

   “Okay”, the man said.

 

   He then stepped back, raised his gun to his head, and pulled the trigger. 

 

   FN shook at the sound and stared in shock at the bloody mess. Only the sound of his fellow Troopers drew his attention. Without thinking, he quickly pocketed the data file and watched as the Troopers came to a halt around him and the body.       

 

~

 

   Kylo watched through the windshield of his car as the Troopers surged into the building. He was in no rush. He watched as a minute flicked by on the clock then grabbed his gloves and watched with indifference as he pulled them on. He grabbed his gun and strapped it is holster. Then he paused, and looked over to the seat next to him. There sat his signature weapon. The tool he used to finish off his targets. The tool that made him a Blade Runner.  

 

~

 

   San Tekka wasn’t afraid to die. He had long prepared for this day. He just hoped, prayed to a god some believed existed, that Poe had made it out. As the screams of those around him filled his ears he stepped away from the shelf and closed his eyes. In his mind’s eye he could still see that infant girl with bright hazel eyes gazing at him. Her grief-stricken father both terrified and amazed. 

   San Tekka opened his eyes to see a tall, chrome-armored Trooper standing before him with her weapon pointing at him. The other Troopers scoured the room, turning things over and opening crates. One went to pull the shelf but realized it slid. The Trooper pushed aside the shelf and informed the chrome Trooper of the tunnel. A female voice ordered two troopers to head down.  

   His attention was then drawn to the doorway where a tall, dark haired man with reflective eyes stood. His face was pale and emotionless, and in his right hand he held what looked like some sort of long retractable blade. San Tekka looked back into the eyes of the young man and furrowed his brow. He knew this man. Had seen him somewhere from long ago. 

 

   “Ben?” he whispered. 

 

~

 

   Kylo glared at the old man before him. He had never met this Replicant and yet… and yet he knew the name of the boy in his dreams; in memories crafted just for him. Kylo pressed the trigger on the hilt of his sword, causing the blade to retract in a sing-song hiss, and stepped forward out of the dark hallway. 

 

   “I saw your setup in the other room. How convenient.”

 

   The old man gave him a small smile. 

 

   “Perhaps not as convenient as you think.” 

 

   Kylo squeezed the hilt of his sword. Now was not the time for an outburst. 

 

   “The information, where is it?”

 

   “Far from here I can assure you.”

 

   Kylo gave a humorless snort but then turned his attention to the four Troopers entering the room through a hole in the wall he had not noticed earlier. Kylo’s gaze fell on the helmetless Trooper who looked shaken and clearly scared. He narrowed his eyes but then looked to the Trooper giving him their findings.

 

   “Sir, there appeared to only be one who escaped down the tunnel. FN-2187 reports that when he attempted to capture the man he struggled, saying he wasn’t going to be taken alive. We found the body with a gunshot wound to the head. We searched the body but found nothing.”

 

   At that Kylo noticed San Tekka turn to look at the Troopers. He noted that the only one that looked back at the man was the helmetless Trooper. His anger building, Kylo stomped over to San Tekka; his long legs taking him there in three steps. He grabbed hold of the old man and dragged him into the next room and threw him into the chair. 

   PH4-SM4 cuffed the man to the chair as Kylo began hooking up the gear to San Tekka’s head. 

 

   “Sir”, said one of the Troopers, handing him a data file. 

 

   Kylo slid it into the monitor and began ripping and downloading all the memories he could. Kylo watched as images flashed by on the side screen. Images of Leia, of Luke, of hundreds of nameless Replicants and humans, of a man crying over a dead woman, of an infant, of maps and meetings. 

   The monitor beeped that its task was complete. Kylo took out the file and slipped it inside his long coat and looked over at San Tekka. The man panted from the mental onslaught he had just endured, yet he still managed to give Kylo a triumphant look. 

 

   “Who’s the child?” Kylo attempted to ask in the most neutral tone.

 

   San Tekka’s tired eyes grew soft.

 

   “A miracle. Our future.”

 

   Kylo frowned. He was growing tired of this.

 

   “Where’s Luke?”

 

   San Tekka shook his head and chuckled. 

 

   “You won’t find it. I had it erased. Even if you tortured me I wouldn’t remember where he is.” 

 

   Kylo worked his jaw as his temper flared. Releasing his blade from it’s resting place he pulled it back for a killing blow, swinging it straight into San Tekka’s neck. Sliding the blade away and flicking a splattering of blood on the wall, San Tekka’s head fell from its body and hung above the floor; the wires from the head gear still holding on to him. 

 

   The only sound in the room was that of Kylo’s rapid breathing. He slowly uncoiled from his stance and looked over to PH4-SM4.

 

   “Gather any evidence and head back. ...I’m done here.”

 

   Kylo then hurriedly left the room yet stopped once he heard the captain's footsteps behind him. 

 

   “Sir, HUX will be displeased to know we have no prisoners.”

 

   Kylo gritted his teeth and quickly spun to look right into the woman’s helmet. 

 

   “My job, Capitan, is to Retire Replicants. Not capture them. If Hux wanted a souvenir then perhaps you’re men shouldn’t kill everything that moves. Besides, everything he could have learned I’ve already gotten on this file.”

 

   To her credit, PH4-SM4 stood her ground and didn’t even so much as flinch. Kylo regarded her for a moment then stepped out of her space. 

 

   “He would very much like to see that file,” she stated flatly. 

 

   “And he will,” Kylo said as he walked away. “When I give it to him.” 


	4. Memories

   Kylo threw himself into the seat of his Silencer and watched the flames continue to lick the burnt frame of the destroyed car. He had been so close. The old Replicant had known Luke and yet the clue to finding him was now lost.

   He snaked his hand into his coat pocket and withdrew the data file and studied it; rolling it between his fingers as he replayed the quick succession of images he’d seen. The man had known Leia also. She had proven just as difficult to find, though there were more rumors about her than there were of Luke. Perhaps a different clue could be found. One that might point him in a different direction. Kylo looked up at the dash display of his car and pocketed the data file back into his coat and pressed for the scissor doors to close. 

 

~

 

   FN walked back into the Trooper transport and buckled himself in his seat. He didn’t dare risk eye contact, but he couldn’t help but feel like everyone was staring at him. He suddenly regretted not picking up his helmet on his walk back through the tunnel. 

 

   “FN-2187, where is your helmet?”

 

   FN froze at the sound of his capitan’s voice. 

 

   “I’m sorry Capitan. I lost it in the confrontation inside the tunnel.”

 

   FN held his breath as he waited for a reply. His lungs had begun to burn when she finally spoke.

 

   “How sloppy of you. Report to Evaluation upon our return before returning to my division.”

 

   FN swallowed his horror and tried to control his reaction as best he could.

 

   “Yes, Capitan.”

 

   He watched as her chrome boots stepped out of his line of sight and closed his eyes as he internally panicked and tried vainly to think of a plan. 

 

~

 

   “Ginger noodles. And a shot of Gralish,” Kylo ordered.

 

   He turned on his stool and looked out onto the street and the sea of shifting bodies and umbrellas, all glowing from the reflection of the surrounding neon. The refineries on Chandrila had damaged the atmosphere generations ago, but the planet never seemed to fully recover. At least not in Hanna City it seemed. It was always dark, either due to rain, fog, or snow. But Kylo didn’t really mind. He was used to the dark, and the assaulting artificial light that attempted to invade it. But sometime, in his dreams, he could see real light. Light that shown from a sun and bathed his skin in warmth. And the way it moved across things and was chased by shadows was mesmerizing. Kylo always found himself strangely calm after having those dreams. 

 

   “Gralish and noodles!”

 

   Kylo turned back around, took the small glass and threw back the blue-green liquid before dropping the glass back on the counter along with the credits he owed. 

 

   “Thanks,” he told the chief as he grabbed the box of noodles and headed for his car.  

 

~

 

   Kylo turned on the holo screen as soon as he entered his apartment. He took off his gloves and coat and dug underneath his sofa for the external drive he kept and hooked it up to the holo base. He quickly retrieved the data file and slipped it into the drive then moved into the kitchen while the program began to load. 

   Turning the heat top to boil, Kylo grabbed a pan and filled it with water and the cleansing oil he’d purchased at Maz’s shop. He pulled his metal chopsticks out of the drawer and grabbed a bottled Fizzpop out of the fridge and sat them next to the box of noodles. He glanced over to the holo screen and saw the program was still sorting the memories into categories. Noting the oily water was now boiling, Kylo removed the pan and walked into the fresher, unclipped the hilt of his sword and extended the blade and turned on the water. The onslaught of heavily treated water made quick work of the remains of the Replicants’ dried blood. Kylo turned off the water, wiped the blade clean, then returned to the kitchen. With care he took the cloth and dipped it into the heated oil and began rubbing it in on the blade. After years of practice and his naturally high pain tolerance, Kylo had become accustomed to the burn of the oil. He found it relaxing to cleanse and polish his blade; loved the fact that this particular blend of oil always gave the metal a red tinted shine to it.

   The screen pinged that the program was finished. Polishing the last section, Kylo set the blade aside to dry and placed the rag in the sink and walked over to the holo table. Opening the box of Ginger noodles and the top off the Fizzpop, Kylo sat on the edge of the sofa and began sifting through San Tekka’s memories. 

 

~

 

   Kylo’s eyes burned from looking at the screen for so long in the dim lit room, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away. He had narrowed his interest down to three memories in particular. The first was of a younger looking Leia speaking to San Tekka and being introduced to others. Some in the images he knew, as he’d already Retired them.

   The next was of a short memory that had caused Kylo to stare in disbelief for several minutes. In it, San Tekka walked down a hallway that appeared to be in some kind of hospital. Standing outside of a room was a tall, brown haired man. The man Kylo would see talking to him in his dreams sometimes. He was clearly angry and walked off as San Tekka drew near. San Tekka entered the room and found Leia and Luke standing over a hospital bed. Leia looked back to acknowledge him, her face red and streaked with tears, then looked back to whomever was in the bed. A clean shaven Luke then turned and walked towards San Tekka. As the Replicant turned to follow Luke his attention grazed by the occupant of the bed. 

   It was a brief glimpse but Kylo had paused the memory and stared at the face of the boy in the bed for what seemed like forever. It was him; or at least a younger, sicker version of him, he was sure. But Kylo had no memory of ever being ill from either his current one or his implanted one. 

   After much thought and unease, Kylo then moved on to the third memory. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of this one, and had replayed, freezed, and enhanced it several times. It was of San Tekka helping carry a crying woman and lying her on a bed. A man with brown hair and a beard hovered over the woman, rubbing her face and holding her hand. Leia briefly appeared, bringing medical equipment. It was clear the blonde haired woman was struggling to give birth. The occasional glance to Leia’s face told the moment wasn’t going well. At some point the woman went limp and the bearded man leaned over the woman and began to shake her frantically. San Tekka’s attention briefly flew to Leia then focused back on the small head that had started to emerge. San Tekka struggled to pull the small child free, but after a tense several minutes, he had...her. A towel was handed to him and he wiped at the child’s face. It’s unfocused eyes opened and looked at him with bright hazel eyes. San Tekka then moved to hand the child off and a brief glimpse of a bearded Luke was caught out of the corner of the eye.

  
  


   Kylo sat back and rubbed roughly at his eyes. It was already four in the morning. He closed down the program and ejected the data chip and turned off the holo screen and sat in darkness. The occasional flicker of light running over his ceiling came from the flickering ads from outside that floated across his building and seeped into this windows. Kylo didn’t even notice however. He was physically and mentally exhausted.


	5. Flight Response

   FN guessed the transport was getting close to First Order headquarters. He could feel the shift in his stomach as they dropped in altitude and slowed for traffic. The transport didn’t have windows he could see out of, but he didn’t need to look. He could picture the building in his mind. It juted from the street level and pierced its way up above the skyline. And in a city where everything was some form of a rectangle or square the building’s obtuse triangular shape stood out. It evoked a sense of smallness and unease to the outsider yet provided those within a sense of unique superiority.

   But FN pushed those whimsical thoughts aside and focused on his next steps. They would file out of the transport, head to the locker rooms, return their gear, and head back to their divisions barracks; except for him. He would have to fill out a missing equipment form and put in a request for a replacement. And his capitan had ordered him to Evaluation for a Baseline test. FN knew he would fail it. He wasn’t quite sure what was happening to him emotionally, but he knew this wasn’t normal; and that only spelled one thing for a Replicant. Retirement. And he’d seen just a few hours ago what that meant. FN absentmindedly rubbed at his neck as he looked towards the transport doors as he felt the vehicle land. 

   The transport doors opened and FN and the rest of the Troopers stood and filed two by two out of the vehicle. Once in the hanger FN looked around. Inside the hanger were a few custom produced Tie-FO cruisers parked on the opposite side. FN then looked up over at the glass that was cut into the grey metal wall that showed the control room. He wasn’t licensed to fly a patrol car and he didn’t have clearance to leave the hanger, but patrol units came in and out of the hanger at regular intervals. 

 

   As his unit made their way to the locker rooms, FN’s plan began to fall into place. He opened his locker, placed his armor inside, and put on his maintenance fatigues. He had never really found the sanitation work he’d been tasked with as particularly engaging, but it did come with the perk that most of his clearance codes allowed him in several places within the building he otherwise would have been restricted from. He didn’t know for sure, but he had a feeling he could probably use the codes to get back into the hanger. 

   As the men began to file out of the locker room, FN’s wristband lit up. He looked down to see a notification that he had been ordered a Baseline test. FN swallowed hard and rather than following his unit he turned the opposite way down the hall. He wandered a bit, never breaking pace so as to keep the appearance that he was dutifully heading somewhere, before finding his way back to hanger B-11. 

   FN forced himself to take a calming breathe and not look at anyone around him. Instead, he took a clearance code cylinder out of his breast pocket and placed it into the lock. He held his breath and dug his nails into the palm of his hand as he stared at the screen and willed it to change color. It turned green, and FN closed his eyes in silent thanks He breathed through his nose while removing the code cylinder and stepped into the hanger and moved towards the cruiser that was closest to the hanger doors. FN glanced up to the glass window but saw the two Replicates inside weren't paying attention. He quickly looked over the car then ducked down next to the driver side door. 

   The nice thing about these was that they had been custom made for the First Order, and while fast in pursuits and armed with a front gun turret, they lacked security. FN touched the door handle and the door unhinged and swung open. FN quickly scooted inside and pulled the door closed. And he sat and waited, leaving everything turned off.

 

~

 

   FN’s adrenaline rush had almost worn off when he noticed the lights on the hanger doors flick on and begin to spin. The large doors began pulling apart and FN sat up in the seat. This was it. His finger itched to push the ignition button but he resisted. He couldn’t jump the gun and blow his escape before it even started. He waited and watched and the doors completely slid open and three patrol cars floated inside and lowered into the open parking spaces with electric charger ports lit and ready to connect. Only one of the cars had full landed, but the doors were beginning to slide shut. It was now or never. FN pushed on the power and pressed the display screen to override auto pilot and give him user control. He turned on the gravity lifts and pressed on the acceleration. The Tie-FO lunged forward as it floated higher off the floor and rocked as FN struggled to control the car and turn it towards freedom. 

 

   “Tie-FO Patrol, you have not been cleared for departure. Return immediately.”

 

   FN ignored the order and burst through the closing doors and into the crowded traffic. FN screamed as he swerved to miss several vehicles and pulled up so as to get above the heavier flow of traffic. Breathing heavily and failing to contain his panic, FN realized he had no idea where to go. 

 

   “I have to hide. I have to hide. ...Where do I hide?” 

 

   Thankfully the car was at a full charge so at least he could get out of the city limits, assuming he wasn’t followed or died while trying to fly in traffic. To the west was the ocean wall. To the east was the desert wastelands. To the South, fields and fields of protein farms and hydroponic pods. And the north was just abandoned cities, left for what little nature could reclaim. FN thought about his options. Usual raids they did against the Replicant Resistance Movement was done within the cities, but they usually were farther out than deeper in. The wastelands were closer but FN had a feeling Leia wouldn’t be found in mounds of trash as far as the eye could see, so that only left heading north as his option. 

 

~

 

   A digital projection of a woman popped up on Hux’s desk.

 

   “Sir, PH4-SM4 wishes to speak with you. Shall I send her in?”

 

   Hux found the visit unusual, but he had a moment to spare.

 

   “You may.”

 

   The woman’s image disappeared and Hux watched as the door to his office opened. The back wall of his office showed of the city skyline but as PH4-SM4 climbed the stairs to his desk, small strips of simulated moonlight lit her way. Hux stood and waved a hand to the stiff looking chair in front of his desk, then sat back into his own and waited for her to speak. 

   The tall platinum blonde sat ram-rode straight in the chair and smoothed her silver pencil skirt. Hux noted how her ensemble of silver and black caused her already pale complection to be drowned out even more. 

 

   “Sir, I believe we may have a problem.”

 

   Hux gave a slight smile. Straight to the point. He liked that. 

 

   “I believe one of our Replicants, FN-2187, has gone rogue. During a raid at a Resistance hideout I noticed he was acting outside of conditioning. I ordered him to Evaluation but it appears he never showed nor filed for lost equipment replacement. And soon after our return there was a lockdown in Hanger B-11 due to a stolen patrol car being leaving without authorization.”

 

   Hux scowled. He had not heard this news. And that was a problem. 

 

   “It seems someone did not feel the need to inform me. I thank you PH4-SM4. Tell me, your unit was sent to deal with activity involving the Replicant leader, Lor San Tekka, was it not?”

   “It was, sir.”

   “And was he there?”

   “He was. KY10-R3N personally Retired him after downloading his memories. Though the man stated he had previously erased some of them before our arrival.”

 

   Hux squeezed his hand into a fist. Once again that annoying Replicant was undermining him. If he hadn’t been Snoke’s beloved creation he would have had KY10-R3N destroyed long ago. Why had he not yet delivered this important finding?

 

   As if reading his mind, PH4-SM4 asked, “Has he not yet delivered to you the data file?”

   “No.”

   “He informed me he would.” 

   “Well then he’s taking his sweet time doing so.”

 

   PH4-SM4 said nothing for a moment, then stood from the chair.

 

   “What are your orders, sir?”

 

   Hux studied her for a moment, thinking. At least one Replicant in this bloody building wanted to keep order. 

 

   “I will summon KY10-R3N at once and order him to bring me the data file you mentioned immediately. Capitan, I want you to find out which patrol car it is this traitor stole and bring the information to me. We shall blast him out of the sky using our tracking satellites.”

 

   PH4-SM4 held her head high before nodding.

 

   “Very good, sir.”

 

   The woman then promptly turned and left. Hux watched as her tall frame descended the steps then vanished through his door. He made a mental note to rely on PH4-SM4 more in the future. He then grabbed his data pad and rang KY10-R3N.

   Hux drummed his fingers on his desk as he waited for the man to answer. Finally the irritant's long face appeared. It looked as though the man had just woken from a nap. Hux scowled even more.

 

   “I’m to understand you retrieved a memories data file during the raid. Why have I not yet received it?” Hux growled.

 

   The man grumbled something but Hux had no patience to hear it.

 

   “I want it now!” Hux demanded. 

 

   “I’m on my way!” KY10-R3N snapped back. And the call ended on his end. 

 

   Hux let out a frustrated yell and stomped over to his liquor cabinet. He’d already reported KY10-R3N’s insubordination to Snoke before but all the old man did was chuckle at his own expense and tell him to ‘play nicely with one another’. Hux was convinced he was just doing it for his own amusement. But one day, Hux swore to himself; one day that stupid Blade Runner would get what he deserved. And it couldn’t come soon enough.             


	6. Damage Control

   Kylo stood outside of Hux’s office and just stared at the doors.

 

   “Can I help you?” asked the holographic image of a woman.

 

   Kylo recognized her as the new upgraded avatar version of the Joi personal assistant system. He had personally made a point to not upgrade his once the new version came out. In a world filled with fake...everything, why would anyone in their right mind purposefully bring in more fake imagery into their home? The one sacred place that you could tune it out! He glanced at the image then looked back at the doors in front of him. 

 

   “KY10-R3N reporting in. And I’ve brought the data file HUX requested.”

   “One moment please.”

 

   Kylo waited, sighing, pushing back his almost shoulder length hair away from his face and rocking on his heels. Finally the door opened and out stepped Capitan PH4-SM4 in dress casual attire. Kylo raised an eyebrow as she looked him over on her way out but he quickly moved right past her and into the office. 

   Hux was at his desk, leaning back against his chair wearing a pair of image enhancer glasses. Kylo frowned. Those types of glasses were only used in remote robotic control situations. Without moving his head, Kylo glanced over to the monitor on the desk. His frown deepened. Whatever Hux was up to involved one of the First Order’s defense satellites, and Kylo had a feeling that whatever was going on was an abuse of power.

 

   “...Lock on target. ...Fire.” A long pause. “Fire again.”

 

   Kylo watched as the pasty ginger smiled in satisfaction then took off the glasses and closed out the program. Hux then leaned back into his chair again, steepled his fingers, and looked up at him. Without prompt, Kylo took the data file out of his inner coat pocket and pushed it across the desk towards Hux. 

 

   “I’ve already categorized the memories, so it should be easier on your men to catalog them.”

 

   Hux just stared at him for a moment then looked down at the file.

 

   “And did you find anything useful?”

 

   Kylo shrugged. “It’s clear the man knew both Leia Organa and Luke Walker, but he’d already wiped most of his memories of them. There are only small fragments of them on there.”

   “I see,” Hux said, typing something into his data pad. “Do you recall seeing this Trooper?”

 

   Kylo looked down at the data pad. It was the face of the helmetless trooper he’d seen during the raid on San Tekka’s hideout. 

 

   “I do. He and some others came up from checking a tunnel that led out of the room. Apparently he’d tried capturing one of group members but the man shot himself so as not to be scanned. I got the impression from San Tekka that the man had been carrying something important but the Troopers said they found nothing on him.”

 

   Hux tapped his chin then stood and began pacing behind his chair. 

 

   “Because he stole whatever it was. Did he appear out of character?”

   “He did.”

   “Then he did steal it. This Replicant took whatever it was San Tekka was trying to hide, came back here, separated from his unit, and rather than report to Evaluation he stole a patrol car and escaped.” 

 

   Kylo mulled over this new information and matched it to the Trooper’s behavior he’d noticed in the room. He then looked at Hux with new found urgency. 

 

   “We have to find him. He must still have San Tekka’s missing memories to Luke. I want that file!”

   “I just finished shooting down his stolen patrol car,” Hux informed him with a smug smile.

 

   Kylo slammed down his hand against the desk, startaling Hux. 

 

   “You fucking idiot! You distroyed the file!”

   Hux frowned. “The traitor is still alive. I shot the car down, causing it to make an emergancy landing in the Wastelands. Lucky for you I saw him survive the crash. But I hit the car again and distroyed it for good messure.” 

 

   Furious, Kylo yanked his hair back and yelled as he kicked Hux’s guest chair down the steps. Hux frowned at the distructive display.

 

   “2187’s not the only one that needs to preform a Baseline.”

 

   Kylo turned and gave the man a warning glare and raised is finger in warning.

 

   “Do you know how many fucking scavengers there are in the Wastelands? Hmm? They will kill him and pick him clean of anything and everything, including the file. What then?”

 

   Hux calmly sat back down in his chair.

 

   “Then it will no longer be of any concern of ours.”

 

   Kylo shook his head and took a step back before turning to leave.

 

   “Your an idiot, HUX.”

 

   Hux scowled. He wasn’t about to let him walk out with the last word. 

 

   “If you were human, I’d tell you to go burn in hell!”

   Without even turning, Kylo yelled over his shoulder, “Well what else would you call the Wastelands?”


	7. Scavengers

   FN had scrolled through the display maps of the nearby terrain and found that he city stretched out farther north than he’d expected, but thinned out towards the east. He gave control back to autopilot and set a course to head north east, then north once the city had fully passed. He leaned the seat back a little and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and was pushing almost forty-eight hours without sleep.

 

~

 

   FN jerked awake as the car banked hard to the right and struggled to correct itself; warning alarms blaring inside the cabin. Seeing nothing out the front windshield he turned to look out the back. Thick smoke was billowing from somewhere behind. Suddenly the car dipped, losing altitude. FN looked at the map and went into a full panic. He was within the bounds of the Wastelands.  

   He pulled the seat back into an upright position, buckled the seat belt, held onto the steering wheel and watched as the car dived for the sea of scrap metal below. He couldn’t help the scream that escaped him as the car attempted to soften the landing but crashed and slide through the debris anyways. 

   When he came to, FN winced in pain as his muscles cried out in protest. He blinked a few times then attempted to unbuckle and pushed himself out of the heavily damaged vehicle. He managed to stumble a few paces away when a loud whistling nose could be heard. FN looked up into the cloudy grey sky and then turned and forced himself to limp as fast as he could. Within seconds a missle impacted with what was left of the car and threw bits of glass and metal every which way. FN fell to the ground and covered the back of his head. When it sounded like car parts were no longer whizzing by, he turned to see the car burning to a crisp. He looked up into the sky then all around him. All he could see was mud and rusted metal for miles. Without thinking of anything but his pain, his feet began shuffling forward in whatever direction had the least amount of debris.

 

~

 

   Rey looked up into the sky to look for the source of the whistling sound. It was barely noticeable but she could tell the direction it was heading. She dropped what she was sifting through and began to climb the hill. If she hurried she might be able to find something worth value before a bunch of the others came to fight over the findings. Missiles meant military grade usually and that would be worth at least few days worth of rations. 

   As she weaved between jagged ends of metal and sinking puddles of mud she noticed someone up ahead. Rey paused and crouched to observe. It was a dark skinned male, of a similar age to her, limping and holding his arms together. He looked dazed and tired. Easy pickings. Yet he didn’t seem to have anything of value on him. But that wouldn’t matter to some of the Scavengers around here. Hell, they’d kill him just to eat him. Rey scurried a little farther past him and climbed up onto a large metal arch. She could see something burning off a ways but already she counted nine Scavengers combing the area around the fire. She had held her own against two aggressive Scavengers at once but there was no way she was willing to risk her life for some scrap missile parts against nine. Not to mention whatever else there was would be useless now that it was burning.

   Rey climbed back down the arch and went back the way she’d see the young stranger. Not too much farther from where she’d seen him did she find him backing away from two Scavengers stalking around him. Rey looked over their markings. They weren’t under Plutt’s ownership, so they were fair game for a beating. Nibbling making her way down the slope, Rey came up behind the wounded man and stabbed her fighting staff into the ground. 

 

   “I saw him first and claim him as my find!”

 

   The man startled and turned to look at her. The two Scavengers looked at one another then brandished their own weapons. The man held out his hands and began pleading for some understanding. Rey couldn’t help but snort. He clearly wasn’t from around here. She pulled her staff from the ground and readed herself for the fight. 

   The two Scavengers came towards her slowly at first then lashed out at her once close. Rey brought up her staff and blocked the blow. She pushed the first attacker back with one end and used the momentum to hit the other attacker in the side. She then shifted and whacked the second in the head. Then she spun out of the way of the first and jabbed the end of the staff with the pointed edge into the Scavenger’s calf. A human scream escaped from behind the attacker’s mask. The second Scavenger paused and looked over at the wounded man who was now laying on the ground and attempting to dragging himself away. He then looked over to the stunned stranger then back over to her. The Scavenger lowered his weapon and stepped back. 

 

   “The find is yours, Niima slave!” 

 

   Rey watched as the man retreated away, and without even sparing a second glance at his injured companion, jogged towards the burning missile debris. The injured Scavenger just laid on the ground and shouted curses into the air. Rey then turned to look over at the scared newcomer. She decided to take off her goggles and face covering so as to help him feel a little at ease. The man seemed surprised to see she was a girl. 

 

   “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you or eat you. You’re obviously injured. You’re lucky I found you when I did.”

   “Why...why did you save me?”

 

   Rey paused. She honestly didn’t have a good answer for that. She felt pity maybe? She shrugged.

 

   “You seemed lost. I find lost things. Come on. Niima Outpost is that way. We need to get there before what little light there is is gone.” Rey began walking in the direction she’d started from. “You’ll be safe there. Though, I can’t guarantee you’ll walk back out a free man. But I’ll do my best to hide you from Plutt. I assume that burning rubble was yours?”

   “Uh, yeah. My car was shot down and I crashed out here.”

   “Tough luck. What were you doing flying out this way. No one comes here except to dump trash or buy salvaged junk.”

   “Uh, I was avoiding the city and trying to make my way north.”

   “North? Why go there? It’s said nothing’s there anymore save wildlands. ...Whatever that is.”

   “I uh...I was trying to meet up with the Replicant Resistance.”

 

   Rey paused and looked at him.

 

   “The Resistance? You’re with the Resistance?”

 

   The man shifted uneasily and nodded. Rey studied him for a moment. He didn’t look like a liar, but he did look scared. And worried. Rey turned and continued walking. 

 

   “I’ve never met a Resistance fighter before.” They were both silent for a few steps before she spoke again. “I believe in your cause you know. Equal rights and freedom for Replicants? I know all about what it’s like living like a slave. Working under the thankless thumb of another.”

 

   The man then hurried to keep pace with her and looked over at her in confusion. 

 

   “Wait, you’re human?”

 

   Rey gave him a faint smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

 

   “Last I checked.” 


	8. A Name

   FN followed the strange Scavenger girl threw what he could only describe as a twisted maze of metal death and rot. As they neared a large domed building the girl suddenly disappeared under a pile of scrap and then just as quickly reappeared with dingy cloth and fabric and began to dress him in it. 

   She then lead him around the building and crawled through a pipe that he could barely fit into. It was practically pitch black inside the pipe save for the few cracks that light leaked through. FN couldn’t help but notice that at some point the temperature went from cool to sweltering hot.

 

   “Why is it getting so hot?” FN asked as he blinked away sweat from his eyes.

   “We’re passing the main furnacies. I’m taking us to the boilers. There’s a really old tank in there that’s never worked. I’ve used that as a sort of hideout for years now.”

 

   FN couldn’t fathom having to live like this. He hadn’t enjoyed what little time he’d been alive and serving the First Order, but at least it was better than what this girl had been dealing with. Finally the Scavenger pushed open a rusted fan and dropped onto a large boxy machine. She waived him down and he slowly lowered himself down. Ducking down to look around the girl then motioned for him to follow and lead him to a large metal looking drum. There was a cloth covered hole on one side and she pulled the cloth aside to allow him in. The only light inside was provided by a small little bulb next to a tiny heat top. Everything inside was a patchwork of materials cobbled together. He even noticed a dead dried plant sitting next to what looked like a very old, dirty, beat-up doll. The girl was digging through a pile on the opposite side of the drum, not paying him any mind.

 

   “Here,” she said, holding out a package to him and what he guessed was a drink flask. “I boil the water beforehand so it should be safe to drink. The protein bar is out of date but only by a little. They still taste fine to me. And I got them off some traders that came in a couple days ago, so that usually means they’re quality.”

 

   FN took the bar and hungrily opened it. The girl smiled then did the same. It was by no means fresh, but the girl hadn’t lied, it was still edible and that was all that mattered in that moment. He took several sips of water from the flask then handed it back to her.

 

   “Thank you.”

   “You’re welcome. I don’t have much, but I don’t mind sharing. So long as you behave yourself and don’t cause any trouble.”

 

   FN couldn’t help but chuckle. 

 

   “Don’t worry. I’m not looking for any trouble. Besides, I saw how you fight. I wouldn’t want to mess with you.”

 

   At that the girl beamed and began to remove her head coverings. She had brown hair pulled back into three odd little buns at the back of her head. FN had seen a lot of weird hairstyles when he was out and about in Hanna City, but he had never seen one like hers before. 

 

   “So, what’s your name?”

   “FN-2187.”

 

   The girl scrunched her nose. FN couldn’t help but find the look rather cute. 

   “That’s not a name.”

   FN shrugged. “That’s the only name I was ever given. Replicant, remember?”

   The girl frowned. “Everyone deserves a name.” She paused as if in thought. “F.N. F.N.” She sounded out the two syllables slowly. “Finn. Yeah. How about Finn? You like it?”

   FN tested it out. “Finn. ...Finn. ...Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Thanks. What about you? What’s your name?”

   The girl smiled. “I’m Rey.”

   “It’s nice to meet you Rey.”

   “Nice to meet you too, Finn. So, what can you tell me about your mission?”

 

   Finn hesitated, and Rey seemed to notice.

 

   “Slave, remember?” she said, pointing to a collar around her neck. “I can’t mention you without getting myself into trouble and it’s not like I’d get very far trying to escape.”

 

   Finn frowned at the collar around her and decided that at the very least he could take her mind off her situation by telling her a story. 

 

   “Alright. So there I was, me and a group of others and, uh, there was a Resistance leader who had information that needed to make it to Leia Organa. So they picked me to get the data file to her. But then the First Order showed up and I was able to escape through this hole in the wall that lead down to a tunnel. And at the end of it was a getaway car. So I flew out of the city as fast as I could and headed north. But they were tracking me and that’s when they blew me out of the sky and I ended up here.” 

 

   Rey sat crouched and was totally engulfed in his twisted version of the past two days. 

 

   “What happened to the data file.”

 

   Finn took the metal case holding the data file out of his pocket and showed it to her. Rey’s eyes light up at the sight of it. 

 

   “What’s on it?”

 

   Finn had no idea what to say.

 

   “I don’t know. It was so secret that they didn’t even tell me.”

   Rey looked confused. “Well that’s silly.”

 

   She then turned and started rummaging through her pile of stuff again. Then she pulled out a large external drive that appeared to have been welded back together and a tiny holo disk that she plugged into it. 

 

   “Then let's find out together shall we?”

 

   Rey held out her hand to him, waiting for him to give her the file. Finn hesitated but decided to hand it over. He was curious to see what he’d agreed to throw everything away for. Rey took the file and pushed it into the drive and waited. 

   Images of a man in a laboratory appeared. He was working on what looked like genome sequences. Another was of the same man talking intensely about something. Then it showed the man talking to another man and woman. They seemed worried. And the woman kept holding her stomach. Then it switched to a different woman talking. Images featuring her showed up several times. Then there were images of maps and coordinates. Finn wasn’t sure but it appeared that what they were looking for was somewhere in the south, out in what had become more of the ocean. 

   Rey leaned in close to get a better look at the image. Soon after, the footage ended and the holo went dark. Rey sat back and placed the file back in its case and handed it back to him. They both sat quietly. If Finn was being honest with himself he was fairly disappointed by what he had seen. There seemed to be nothing of importance on the file. Certainly nothing worth hiding or dying for. 

 

   “Okay”, Rey said, nodding. She began counting on her fingers and then what had to be her toes underneath her boots. “Han is actually do back for his usual drop in, so you’re in luck. I’ll have to present my findings to Plutt in the morning but then I can take you to Han’s usual landing spot. He’s mentioned a ‘Leia’ at least once before and I know I’ve heard him say that he was making a smuggling run for the Resistance. If you tell him about this he might be willing to take you to Leia Organa, if he actually does know her. It’s the only way I know to get you safely out of the Wastelands and back on your mission.” 

 

   Finn just looked at the girl. The random girl out of nowhere who had saved him, sheltered him, fed him, and was now planning on a way to help him escape. 

 

   “Why are you helping me?”

 

   Rey looked away from him and over to hundreds of scratch marks on the side of the drum he hadn’t noticed before.

 

   “As I understand it, the Resistance looks out for its own. Both humans and Replicants, and wants what’s best for both. I assume that’s what it’s like to be in a family. Having someone care for you and look out and fight for you. ...I’ve been here so long, I’ve forgotten what that feels like. If I knew where my parents went, I’d want to get back to them.”

 

   Rey turned to look back at him. She had tears in her eyes and Finn couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. 

 

   “So...that’s why I’m helping you. Helping you get back to your family.”

 

   Finn just nodded. He didn’t really have a family either and had never once given any thought to ever having one. Replicants didn’t have families. But listening to her, he couldn’t help but wonder if that was what it was really like, being a member of the Resistance.

   Rey have him a small smile then offered him what appeared to be some kind of folded blanket. She then crawled over to her pile of nick-nacks and curled up on a pile of blankets and closed her eyes. Finn stared at her for a moment then decided to do the same. He fell asleep before he even realized he felt tired. 


	9. Opportunity

   Kylo looked down as far as he could see through his door window. Nothing but jutting rusted obstacles and fog. He sighed, turning back to look at the navigational map on the dash. The crash site was just up ahead. Disengaging the autopilot, Kylo gently brought the Silencer lower. What looked like the black frame of a charred vehicle stood out among the brown, grey, and red-orange of everything else. 

   He landed his car a few paces away and got out. Observing the area around him he walked over to the frame. The ground was covered in boot prints. While Kylo had no idea how much had survived the crash or missile impact, there was little to nothing left now. He’d began walking around the crash site trying to get an idea of what had happened when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a human shape on a ridge. Kylo looked up and then around him. He counted five, but that didn’t mean there weren’t more hidden. He needed to move, but he also needed to know where FN-2187 had went. He walked back over to his car but stood and watched as three of the Scavengers decided to move in closer. 

 

   “I’m looking for a man, a Replicant, that walked away from this crash sometime yesterday. Possibly injured. He’s carrying something of importance to The First Order. Do you know where I could find him?” 

 

   The three Scavengers shifted reluctantly. Kylo got the sudden feeling that this wasn’t going to be has easy as he’d hoped. Hearing movement behind him, Kylo drew his gun in the blink of an eye and pointed it at the fourth Scavenger who’d come up and was reaching out to touch the Silencer. 

 

   “Don’t touch my car.” He then looked back at the others. “I just want the information. But I won’t ask again.”

 

   Kylo noticed the subtle weight shift in two of the Scavengers and heard the boots of the fourth shift in the drying mud. He took a deep breath then whipped around to look at the fourth as the was moving towards him, a knife held next to his leg. Kylo shot the man in the head without even giving it a second thought then turned to the fifth that was coming down the ridge and fired. He didn’t have time to watch the body tumble and land on a prong that stuck out, impaling the dead Scavenger in the shoulder. He was too focused on the three that where now charging at him. Kylo had no problem with using a gun but in a close quarters fight he found it more of a liability. 

   One of the Scavengers barreled straight at him, fist raised. Kylo readied himself to deflect the punch but was caught off guard when, instead of punching him, the Scavenger curled his shoulder and rammed him in the abdomen. Kylo stumbled back, stunned and gasping to put air back into his lungs. The Scavenger took his opening and reared back for an actual punch. But before it could connect with his face, Kylo reached out and grabbed the man’s fist. They stood there at a stalemate for a second before Kylo squeezed the man’s fingers and crushed them. The Scavenger screamed only for a moment before Kylo delivered an uppercut and slammed his mouth shut. The Scavenger fell to the ground and Kylo straightened to look over at the other two. They’d spread out but both now held weapons of their own. Kylo unsheathed his blade and stood ready for them to make their next move. The one carrying a metal bar pulled it back at a run as if he meant to beat Kylo with it. The other was also armed with a knife and it was clear he meant to get in a hit at Kylo’s side while he was distracted by the bar. 

   Kylo flexed his left hand while tightening his grip on his blade’s hilt in the right. In seconds Kylo raised his blade up to parry the bar’s blow then reached out and grabbed the other’s hand with the knife and redirected his force to turn towards the other Scavenger and stab him. Both stunned, Kylo kicked at the Scavenger holding the bar back towards the ground and yanked back the knife wheelder’s arm at a painful angle, causing the Scavenger to screech in pain and drop the weapon. Kylo then reared his right side back and pierced the Scavenger through his gut and twisted the blade. He then pulled it back out and tossed the man onto the ground. 

   Taking a moment to catch his breath, Kylo then looked over at the Scavenger who had held the bar. He was on the ground whencing in agony and struggling to breathe as he clutched at his chest; blood staining his shirt and hands. Kylo kneeled down to look into the man’s eyes.

 

   “Where did he go?” he growled.

 

   The Scavenger wheezed then struggled an answer. 

 

   “Slave girl...took him...Plutt...Niima Ou...pu...pu…”

 

   The man’s trembling hands slowed then relaxed and his eyes became distant. For a moment Kylo wondered if these men had been Replicants or humans. He’d only ever killed Replicants before. But he supposed it didn’t matter in the end. He’d defended himself. Kylo stood and looked around at the bodies around him. He was definitely going to go home and finish off that bottle of brandy later. He shook his blade to get what blood he could off of it and retracted it before returning to his car.

   Looking at the map, there was a trading outpost not to far from where he was. He didn’t know the name of it but he had something to go off of. Someone named Plutt and a girl who was a slave. He assumed the name of the outpost was ‘Niima’. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. Kylo turned the Silencer back on and lifted it into the air and headed in the direction of the trading post. As he turned to fly off he caught sight of more Scavengers standing on a scrap heap watching him. Kylo shook him head. He couldn’t wait to get out of this hell hole. 

 

~

 

   “Finn. Finn, wake up!”

 

   Finn groaned as he stiffly sat up. Rey was wearing her dirty head coverings he had seen her wearing the day before. She handed him another of last night’s protein bars and crawled out of the drum. He could hear her dragging something across the floor but before he could look she popped her head back through the cloth door and waved him to come out. He did so and saw she had a small but full bag slung across her shoulder. She walked over to where they had came out of the pipework the night before and pointed.

 

   “I have to report in to Plutt but once I’m able to get away I’ll come find you. I need you to head back into the pipeline we used and meet me back outside. Once we meet up I’ll take you out towards the landing yard. And with any luck, Han will be there.”

 

   Finn reluctantly looked up at the pipes then back to Rey. She nodded to him then went to move away but he grabbed her hand so as to get her attention. As soon as their hands touched Rey spun and yanked her hand away and glared at him suspiciously. Finn held up his hands and took a step back.

 

   “I just wanted to ask, if you don’t come back, what am I supposed to do?”

 

   Rey studied him for a moment then visibly relaxed. 

 

   “If I don’t make it back for some reason...then…” She shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it back.”

 

   Then she headed past several rows of boilers and down what sounded like metal stairs. Finn looked back up at the pipe he’d once again have to struggle through and groaned. 

 

~

 

   Kylo looked over the large crumbling dome and frowned. He’d assumed a trading outpost would have looked a little more put together, but like everything else in this hellscape, it was just another pile of cobbled together broken scrap. He didn’t like the idea of leaving his car out in the open with so many Scavengers eyeing it, but he didn’t exactly have any other choice. He pushed back the sides of his coat so as to show off his gun and sword hilt. Several of the Scavengers took steps back upon seeing the hilt. 

 

   “I’ve already kill five men today who thought about touching me car. So I suggest you leave it alone.” Kylo then gave them a moment to murmur among themselves. “I’m looking for a male Replicant who survived a crash yesterday. Understand he was taken somewhere called Niima by a slave girl. And I need to talk to someone by the name Plutt.”

 

   The Scavengers mumbled to one another again. Then, a fithy young child with a shaved head pointed to the dome he’d seen ahead. 

 

   “Niima Outpost. All Plutt slaves live there. Haven’t seen anyone new.” 

 

   Kylo covered his weapons back with his coat and nodded to the child, then proceeded towards the dome.

 

~

 

   As she entered the main area of the dome, Rey stopped to catch her breath after having ran up and down so many flights of stairs. 

 

   “Faster! You worthless little shits!”

 

   Rey looked down to see Unkar Plutt pacing back and forth behind a row of work tables he had the younger slaves work at. Her job of scavenging the miles of scrap around them was no safe or easy task. But she prefered it to working at the tables for hours on end everyday. She had actually cried tears of joy the day he deemed her to old for the work and sent her out into the heaps to bring back things for the younger kids to repair. 

   Rey took in a deep breath and carefully made her way around the tables of diligently working children towards Unkar. He was clearly in even more of a fowl mood, so she had to play this carefully. A few feet away he spotted her and snarled. And hurriedly walked up to her and grabbed her by the back of her shirt and pulled her close. He yanked the bag off of her shoulder, knocking off her head covering, then let go of her and began rummaging his fat fingers through her findings. 

 

   “You didn’t report in last night, girl! What were you up to? Is this all you brought? What about that crash I heard about? Did you not get anything from that?”

 

   But Rey didn’t answer him. She had noticed the children had stopped their work to watch as a tall, pale, dark haired and dressed man made his way towards her and Plutt. Rey got the distinct impression that this was not a person to be trifled with. Unkar still hadn’t noticed the man. As Rey continued to stare, the man’s gaze met right with hers, and she immediately looked away. Plutt angrily threw her bag to the floor and roughly grabbed her face to make her look at him. 

 

   “Answer me, girl!”

 

   Rey looked at his repulsive face for a split second then shifted her eyes back over to the stranger. She noted the small moles that dotted his long pale face, and how rich of the color brown his eyes were. But she also noticed the small reflective glow in them. Most in the Wastelands were human, but she had noticed the same glow in Finn’s eyes as he’d sat in her hideout. This man, she thought to herself, had to be a Replicant. 

   Plutt must have finally noticed her looking elsewhere because he turned to see what she was looking at and immediately let go of her face once he saw the man. The strangers eyes left hers and landed on Plutt. Rey couldn’t help but feel like it was the same look a hunter gave when eyeing his prey. 

 

   “What do you what?” Plutt grunted. 

   “I’m looking for someone,” the stranger replied in a deep smooth voice. “A Replicant. Male. Dark hair, eyes, and skin. Has the serial number FN-2187. May have been found near a crashed vehicle sometime yesterday. He’s carrying something of value to myself and the First Order. And I’ve been told that he was seen with a female slave of yours, heading this way.”

 

   Rey noticed how the man’s eyes flitted over to her at the mention of ‘female slave’. But Rey forced herself to remain perfectly still and her face blank. That was the serial number Finn had said was his. And he’d said the First Order was after him and the file. She had to get him away and get him to Han as quickly as she could. Rey heard Plutt chuckle uncomfortably. 

 

   “Yeah? And just who told you it was one of mine? There’s lots of thieving liers around here.”

   The man’s gaze hardened. “One of the five Scavengers I ended up having to kill at the crash site when they decided they’d rather fight than talk.”

 

   Plutt visibly swallowed then looked around.

 

   “What are you worms looking at? Get back to work!” he bellowed.

 

   All the children in the dome quickly resumed their work. Plutt mumbled to himself for a moment.

 

   “I heard about the crash but I didn’t see it for myself. And I don’t know anything about a Replicant. Very few of those around here. I certainly haven’t seen anyone new around here save for you. Uh… Girl! You seen or heard anything about this?

 

   Rey every so slightly shook her head no and only looked obediently at the floor. 

 

   “I saw the vehicle burning but I didn’t see anyone walking away from it. And I haven’t seen anyone like he describes.”

 

   Plutt grunted but turned to face the man again. 

 

   “Like I said. But if I happen to see this Replicant of yours, I’ll be sure to contact The First Order and let you know.”

 

   Rey risked looking up to see the man’s expression but was instantly meet by his eyes. Rey blinked away and gently bent down to grab her bag and quietly excuse herself. As she moved to walk past Unkar grabbed her arm and held her in place. 

 

   “Find something worth my time today, girl,” he hissed as he let go of her arm.

 

   Rey stood straighter and looked Unkar right in the eyes as she placed her head coverings back over her hair and neck, then walked right past the First Order Replicant without even looking up at him, and left the dome. 

 

~    

   “Now, is there anything else you might be looking for? Discounted parts? Or...a slave perhapes? I noticed you eyeing the girl. She’s one of my best Scavengers, so I’m not yet ready to part with her just yet. But I have plenty of other in a while range of ages.”

 

   Kylo scowled at the pathetic sack of flesh before him. He wanted nothing more than to shoot this pitiful excuse for a human right where he stood. But he’d done enough killing today. And he was no savior. So instead he chose to turn around without saying a word and walk out of that horrible place. 


	10. Circumstances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter FYI

   Once out of the dome Kylo looked around to see if he could spot the girl he’d seen with Plutt. He’d first thought her nervous and submissive but when he’d seen the look of defiance she’d given to her master, and the fact she didn’t even give him one last glance as she passed yet had stared at him up until he stated his reason for being there, he got the feeling he’d judged her wrongly. He also got the feeling she was hiding something. She’d said so herself that she’d seen the car while it was still on fire. Plutt’s treatment had made it obvious, but Kylo had noted the collar around her neck, confirming she was a slave. He’d heard Plutt state that she hadn’t reported in the night before, which must have been something she typically did. And he was clearly angered that his supposedly best Scavenger had shown up with nothing of value. 

   Seeing no sign of her Kylo made his way back to his car and was pleased to see it was still there and in one piece. He got in and sank into the seat and watched as the humans shuffled around aimlessly. That was another thing he found odd. Plutt had said there were very few Replicants here, yet he was sure he’d caught just a slight moment of reflection in the girl’s eyes. Her big bright Hazel eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. And the unique way she’d done her hair told him she had enough spark left in her to care about seeming distinct in this grim and degrading place. 

   Kylo frowned at his own thoughts. He was getting off topic. He sat back up in his seat and switched on the dash controls. Thankfully he had one trick still up his sleeve that might help. He pressed for the roof compartment to open and activated a Seeker Droid he kept hidden for such occasions. He fed in the image of FN-2187 and sent the droid to hover over the dome and begin facial scans while sending video feed.

 

~

 

   Rey calmly walked around the side of the dome and, once out of sight of others, began to run towards the exit pipe she’d instructed Finn to meet her at. She let out a sigh of relief when she found him finishing his last bite of the protein bar she’d given him. Once he caught sight of her he stood and smiled brightly. 

 

   “Rey! Thank goodness. I was worried you wouldn’t come back.”

 

   Rey shushed him for speaking so loudly then looked around and began removing her head covering. She pulled his head down and began placing the cloth over his head and face. 

 

   “What’s this for?”

   Rey waved him to follow her and lead him underneath sheets of metal that laid aways from the dome.

 

   “There’s a man in there looking for you. He asked Plutt if he’d seen you or knew anything about your data file.”

 

   Finn began to panic.

 

   “Really? Shit! What did he look like?”

 

   Rey opened her mouth but then shut it and chewed at her lip for a moment.

 

   “Um. Really tall. Black hair that was kinda long. Black coat. Long nose. Kinda intimidating.”  _ Mesmerizing. Deep voice. Soft eyes. Soft lips. Looked clean and didn’t smell.   _ “I’m pretty sure he was a Replicant. He called you FN-2187 and said the file was important to him and the First Order.” 

   “Shit! Shit! That’s KY10-R3N! The guy’s a Blade Runner!”

   “What’s a Blade Runner?”

   “Someone who hunts down Replicants and kills them!”

   “Oh. He did mention killing five people earlier.

   “Oh man, I’m screwed!”

   “Its okay. Calm down! Look, we’ll stick to the plan and try to stay out of sight. ...And Hope Han actually showed up today.”

 

   Rey could tell Finn felt no comfort in that last statement but it was true. And she had nothing else helpful to say. She tugged at his arm and started walking towards the open landing area Han usually met her at. It would take them about an hour but she had a good feeling. As always, she just needed to be smart and careful. She hoisted her staff onto her shoulder and began to climb. Finn trailing a little behind but doing his best to keep up. 

 

~

 

   It didn’t take the Seeker Droid long to recognize and confirm FN-2187’s facial features. And sure enough, as Kylo had guessed, the girl was leading him away from the dome and out into the fields of junk. She’d even taken off her headwrap and placed it on him so as to try and hide his face. Kylo couldn’t stop the slight smile that formed in the corner of his mouth. So the girl was smart too. He’d have to keep that in mind. However, he had no idea where she was leading the traitor. He decided to let the droid continue to follow them and see where they went.

 

~

 

   “Keep up Finn. Not much farther.”

 

   Finn panted and pulled the cloth from his head and used it to wipe at his face. It wasn’t that it was hot out, but they had been climbing and walking for what seemed like hours. Rey paused and came over to hand him her flask of water. Finn accepted gratefully and tried to be mindful to not drink it all. 

 

   “Do you know how much farther?”

 

   Rey pointed up to what looked like a section of an old bridge hanging above another hill of scrap. 

 

   “Past that is a flat area of land that he tends to land at.”

 

   Finn’s legs began to shake and he looked around before sitting. 

 

   “Why are you stopping? We’re almost there!” Rey asked in confusion.

   “My legs, they’re shaking real bad.”

 

   Rey looked at him skeptically.

 

   “Does the Resistance not train it’s fighters?”

   “They do. It’s just, I haven’t been alive for all that long and I mostly did sanitation work before joining. That’s not as...intense as this.”

 

   Rey frowned then crouched down next to him. 

 

   “You mean...you didn’t have a childhood?”

   “No. I have implanted memories but they’re not actually mine. I was already an adult when I was...well, ‘born’ isn’t the proper word for it.”

 

   Finn watched as she picked at the mud on her boots, her face still in a frown. 

 

   “Are they at least good? Your memories?”

 

   Finn was confused by the question but thought about it for a moment then shrugged.

 

   “Yeah. Mundane stuff mostly, but they’re not bad. Eating cake, watching a bug crawl on my hand, falling and scraping my knee, a woman who I assume is suppose to be my mom telling me I’ll be alright. Stuff like that.” 

 

   Rey nodded. He wasn’t sure but it looked like she was about to cry. He opened his mouth to say something but didn’t get the chance as she suddenly stood up and started walking again.

 

   “Come on. Let’s go see if Han ship is there.”

 

~

 

   Rey’s heart clinched upon hearing of Finn’s memories. Even if they were fake, they were far better than hers. She had never tasted cake and there had never been a mother there to comfort her after sustaining a wound or to tell her things would be alright. The earliest memory she had was of being left here, in the Wastelands, with Plutt and a promise of return. She couldn’t remember who left her or why. And it had eaten at her for years. Had she done something wrong? Did her parents not love her? Why hadn’t they come back yet? As far as she could tell she had lived in the Wastes for fourteen years. That was a long time to make someone wait. 

   Rey shook her head and held it high as she walked on. There was no point in thinking about it. If she’d learned anything out here it was that you lived longer by focusing on the here and now, and that was what she was going to continue to do. 

 

~

   Once they’d climbed over the hill they could see three freight transport haulers parked. Rey grinned as soon as she spotted Han’s run down dirty hauler out near the edge. She pointed it out to Finn and began leading the way down the hill. Once they were back on flat ground they broke out in a run.

  
  


   She hadn’t spotted the older man right off but he’d made it easy on her. Rey could hear him swearing from the back of the transport and found him digging through a crate and grumbling about being cheated. 

 

   “Who cheated you this time?”

 

   Han popped his head out of the crate to see who had spoken. 

 

   “Ducain! That’s who!” 

 

   Rey grinned up at the man as he walked down the ramp grumbling. But once he reached her he gave her a humored smile. 

 

   “Good to see you again kid. You here to make a trade?”

 

   Rey’s grin faded as she shook her head.

 

   “More like ask a favor.”

 

   Han eyed her for a moment then shot a glance over to Finn, then back at her. Without saying a word he waved them both to follow him back inside the cargo hold. He leaned against one of the crates and crossed his arms. 

 

   “Alright. Let’s hear it.”

 

   Rey shifted in placed and looked over at Finn.

 

   “This is Finn. He’s with the Replicant Resistance. He’s carrying a memory data file that he needs to get to Leia Organa. I was hoping… well I’d heard you say you’ve done smuggling runs for them before and was hoping you’d help him get back to the Resistance.”

 

   Han frowned and looked over at Finn again. 

 

   “So how’d you end up out here?” 

   “Our hideout was raided by the First Order. I made it out but they shot me down and I crash landed out here.”

 

   Han gave a short nod but didn’t look convinced.

 

   “And what’s this file all about?”

 

   Rey and Finn looked at one another before Rey spoke up.

 

   “It’s memories containing maps and images. A lot of one man in particular.”

   “You know who it was?”

   “No.”

   Finn spoke up. “They didn’t tell me what was on the file. They only told me that it contained what Replicants needed in having a normal life. And that I had to deliver it to Leia Organa only.”

 

   Han looked away and out into the world beyond his transport. Rey took a step forward.

 

   “Will you help him?”

 

   Han looked back at her. His face looked older and more tired than she’d ever before noticed. 

 

   “And what about you kid? You’ve clearly stuck out your neck for this one,” Han said, jabbing his thumb towards Finn. “I could use another crew member.”

 

   Rey smiled at the idea but then let it fade away like the thought. Plutt’s collar would only allow her to go but so far. And while she longed to get away from the Wastelands, she didn’t really know what to expect out beyond them. Plus there was that tiny little voice in the back of her mind that whispered to her about having to wait for whoever was coming back. She shook her head and gave him a weak smile.

 

   “Thanks, but I’ll be alright. I can take care of myself. I just want to make sure Finn gets back home and finishes his mission.” 

 

   Han’s disappointment was clear but he said nothing as he stood back up and walked back out of the cargo hold. Back outside, Han turned to look at Finn.

 

   “I can get you to Leia.”

   “Thank you.”

 

   Han nodded and pointed to the cockpit.

 

   “Head on up. We’ll be leaving as soon as I lock this.” 

 

   Finn looked over to Rey. She waited for him to say something but words never came so she gave him a reassuring smile.

 

   “Good luck, Finn.”

   “Good luck to you too, Rey.”

 

   He then turned to leave but stopped suddenly. He turned back to them, eyes full of panic. But before he could say anything the three of them looked up to watch a sleek black car fly over and loop around in a decent. 

 

   “That’s him! The Blade Runner! We have to go!” Finn yelled.

 

   Han immediately pressed the cargo door closed and ran for the cockpit. 

 

   “Finn! Get in! Rey, you coming?” Han yelled behind him. 

 

   Finn ran after the man without question but Rey froze in place, torn on what to do. But as she watched the tall stranger get out of his car and point his gun at the ship she made up her mind. 

 

   “Go!” Rey yelled back. “I’ll stall him!”

 

~

 

   Kylo had already decided to head out after his droid when it sent over the location his targets had stopped at. He pressed down on the accelerator as soon as he saw the image of the Corellian freight hauler. He was not about to let them get away.

  
  


   He spotted the two targets with an older man standing outside when he passed over. Landing as quickly as he could, and without even bothering to turn off his car, Kylo grabbed his gun and stepped out from underneath the rising scissor door. He took aim at FN-2187 but just missed him. Kylo broke out into a run. The traitor was already now in the cockpit of the hauler but the driver was still climbing in. Kylo took aim again but before he could line the shot properly he was knocked off his feet and onto the ground. He felt his gun fly out of his grasp and a body roll off him. He rolled to see the Scavenger girl scrambling to get away from him.

   Cursing himself for not even noticing her he shot out his hand and grabbed her by the ankle. She yelped then turned back to face him and reared back her other leg for a kick. He tried to catch her boot as it came toward him but she yanked her ankle out of his grasp and scrambled backward. Kylo rolled the rest of the way over and hurried to stand. The girl was back on her feet now too and was holding something like a staff. The look she gave him was one of uncertain determination as she tightened her grip on her weapon. Kylo knew he didn’t have time for this, but she was not an opponent he could turn his back on. He edged towards his gun but she had quickly read his intention and swept the gun even farther away with her staff. 

   The engine of the hauler flaired to life and Kylo looked up to see the freighter shift as it began to lift off. He looked back at the girl and snarled. He was done playing around. Pulling the hilt of his blade from his side he extended it as he placed his footing and raised it to point at her. She shifted as if unsure then let out a fierce battle cry and ran at him with her staff raised back for a swinging strike. Kylo waited till she was almost near the end of his sword then raised it to block her attack. But rather than swinging the staff onto his blade at the last second she ducked and struck out the opposite end of the staff into the exposed side of his chest. Kylo leaned forward as his arms fell in front of him. She leaned back then poised to to strike forward again, this time at his face. Kylo let go of his grip with his right hand on the sword and grabbed the end of the staff as he leaned his face back towards the side out of the way and yanked it so that she fell forward, losing her balance. He let go of the staff and kneeled to wrap his arm around her midsection. She screamed once he started tightening his grip around her ribs and tried to jerk around to strike him. Using the sword for support, he stood and picked her off the ground. A savage growl escaped her throat and she kicked at his legs as hard as she could. His grip on her loosened around her, and sensing his momentary weakness she swung her head back into his.

   Blinded by the pain now throbbing through his brow he lost his grip on the girl and fell to his knee. Feeling her escape his hold, Kylo swung his blade out in a wide swing in hopes of wounding her. He must have missed because as his vision returned he saw her kick at his hand and knock the sword from him. Despite his hand aching he grabbed her leg and yanked her off her feet. She fell onto her back and he took the opening to get on top of her. But as he went to grab at her he saw a glint of red out of the corner of his eye followed by a sharp sudden pain on the side of his cheek and eyebrow. Kylo howled in pain but grabbed at her wrist and slammed it into the ground.

   She had cut him with his own blade. But he couldn’t think about that right now. He had to knock her out. Pinning her legs down with his own but still holding her wrist near his sword down he let go of her leg and swung his fist into her face. She saw it coming too because her big eyes grew even wider before closing when he hit her. Her head yanked to the side and she didn’t move. Kylo raised his fist again but held it in place. She was breathing but her wrist now felt limp in his hand and her legs where no longer jerking. Kylo sat back then rolled off of the girl and huffed to catch his breath. He wiped at the right side of his face and found his glove covered in fresh blood. He shook the blood off and let it splatter against the ground then looked up to where the transport had been. It was nowhere insight. Kylo let out a frustrated yell. Once again he’d come close to getting those damn memories. He looked back at the slave girl’s unconscious form. She’d lied to him and stopped him from claiming his prize and had sliced his face. 

   Kylo struggled to stand up and shuffled towards his gun and then his sword. With both weapons in hand he stood over the girl and just stared. He had every reason to kill her yet he couldn’t dismiss the feelings of pity he’d felt towards her before and now the sliver of respect for her as an opponent. He holstered his gun and retracted the bloody blade then stiffly turned to shuffle back to his car.

 

_    Just leave her. You did her a favor and let her live. That’s more than she’d have done for you.  _

 

   He fell into his seat and laid his head back on the headrest and wiped at his cheek with his coat. 

 

_    But if she helped the traitor escape then she might know something. _

 

   Kylo sighed and looked back at the girl, rolled out of the car, unsheathed his blade and walked towards the Scavenger. He kneeled back down next to her, grabbed her collar and began cutting away through the heavy plastic and wires. He drew his hand back as an electric spark shocked his fingertips. 

 

_    Shit. He was shocking her. _

  
   He held his breath and ripped through the rest of the wiring. He flexed his tingling fingers then pulled the collar off of her and tossed it off to the side. Retracting the blade and clipping it onto his belt he then scooped the girl off the ground and carried her towards his car and placed her onto the passenger seat. Kylo then got in his own and closed the doors then programmed the Silencer to take him home. He leaned back and tenderly touched his throbbing cheek. He’d have to clean that up and rub some Bacta on it as soon as possible.  __


	11. Some Questions

   Rey’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her vision was fuzzy at first but slowly everything came back into focus. She was looking down at her knees. Rey’s neck and jaw were throbbing in pain and her attempt to move only made them hurt worse. She closed her eyes as she hissed in pain but was able to raise her head. Rey tried to move her hand so as to rub her neck but realized she couldn’t move her arm. She flexed her muscles to yank but she was only met with resistance. Rey open her eyes and tried to look back at her hand but couldn’t see it. She tried to stand but couldn’t do that either. Alarm overtook her brain and she was now wide awake. She lifted her head to see where she was but her eyes fell on the man sitting in the floor across from her. It was the man she’d seen in the dome. That Blade Runner she’d fought so Han and Finn could escape. They just looked at one another without saying a word. Since he didn’t appear intent on moving she felt either brave enough or scared enough to ask.

 

   “Where am I?”

 

   The man said nothing for a moment but then replied in that calm smooth voice he’d used when speaking to Plutt.

 

   “You’re my guest.”

 

_    Some guest _ , Rey thought as she twisted her tied hands.

 

   She could see in the low light that he’d taped his cheek and eyebrow together and it glistened with what she could only guess to be a slave of Bacta. She didn’t understand though. He had seemed so mad at her, and yet he hadn’t killed her. 

 

   “Forgive me for deciding to restrain you. But I’d prefer you not attempt to kill me again,” he said, nodding to her struggling hands.

   “Well that’s what happens when your being hunted by a creature.”

 

   Rey watched as his jaw tightened and his soft eyes grew cold. After a moment of silence he moved to stand. 

 

   “Never been called that before. But I suppose I am.”

 

   He then walked passed her and out of her sight. She could hear something open and close, followed by the glink of glass. She’d made him mad, she could tell. That probably wasn’t the best move, given her situation. She decided to keep him talking. She took a deep breath and sat up straight. The tension in her elbows eased somewhat. 

 

   “What is it you want from me?”

 

   There was more silence, but then he moved back into her line of vision. He really was tall, especially with her sitting. He looked her over for a moment then sat on the table in front of her. He didn’t touch her, but his close proximity made her uncomfortable and the shifting light from outside his windows caused his brown eyes to glow. 

 

   “I wanna ask you some questions.”

   Rey swallowed. “I’m not telling you anything.”

 

   He looked over her face again and seemed to quietly sigh in disappointment. Then he stood up again and walked somewhere behind her. She suddenly felt his hands brush the back of her ears before a sharp pinching pain on the sides of her head caused her to forget his hands. He then moved back in front of her. She watched as he placed two small metallic sensers in the same place she’d felt the pinch. 

 

   “I’d prefered we talk. But since you won’t I’ll just use a different method.”

 

   He didn’t look at her as he said this but he began to pace around her. Rey squeezed her eyes shut as she felt tingling pricks inside her brain. She had no idea how he was doing it but she could see in her mind’s eye memories of her childhood sorrows, of her hopes and dreams and fears. Rey opened her eyes and felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She looked over at him. He was looking at her and his eyes were once again soft and his face wore a look of sorrow. 

 

   “You’re so lonely.”

 

   Rey jerked her eyes away from him. Then the memory of finding Finn and inviting him to her hideout played in her mind. She watched as the memories on the data file played. She then caught the stranger move and he sat back in front of her and stared directly into her eyes. 

 

   “The map to Luke. You’ve seen it.”

 

   His tone was that of awe and hope. Rey was tired of having this man pick through her brain. She furrowed her brow in concentration and pierce him with the same gaze she’d seen him give Plutt. She focused her thoughts on seeing him for the first time and of fighting him. The man’s face changed to that of confusion and he slowly sat up straighter rather than leaning towards her. She tried to mentally push back and was suddenly seeing images of the man and woman she’d noticed on the data file. There was also a man that looked just like Han going over flight controls. There was a pale man snickering with a cruel gleam in his eye. Countless dead bodies and strong feelings of remorse. And an old man hitting the stranger’s face and laughing at his fear and pain.

   The stranger suddenly stood, scooting the table back, and tore at the device he’d placed behind his ears and threw them on the floor. He looked at her with panic and walked away. Rey blinked. She had no idea what she’d just done. The man came back into her line of vision, his hand covering his mouth and visibly trembling. He looked over at her for a moment then went behind her. She felt him take the devices off the back of her head and then saw him come around to sit far across from her on his sofa. He just stared. Finally, he spoke.

 

   “How did you do that?”

   “Do what?”

   “Answer the fucking question! How did you manage to look into my memories?”

   “I don’t know! ...The same way I assume you did mine!”

 

   He was silent again; studying her. 

 

   “What are you?” he asked softly.

   Rey looked around in confusion. “What do you mean, ‘what am I’?”

   “You’re clearly a Replicant but I’ve never had another Replicant do that before.”

   “I’m not a Replicant. I’m a human.”

   “Bullshit.”

   “I am! You saw it!” She grew angry and a hot tear ran down her cheek. “I grew up in that shitty place! I’m not like Finn who got to have happy memories given to him. I’m just some worthless nobody who was abandoned for no good reason in the Wastelands, okay? I’m human. Everything about me is human.”

 

   He said nothing for a moment but shook his head slightly. 

 

   “You look like a human and are emotional like one but your reflexes and mental processes are faster than a humans. I’ve never come close to being bested in a fight yet you almost took me out. And I watched you as you hiked those junk heaps. Not once did you look winded. And I saw your eyes reflect for a brief moment in the dome and during out fight. You’re a Replicant. Whether you want to believe it or not.”

 

   Rey didn’t know what to say. But there was no way she was one. 

 

   “I’m human.”

 

   He got up then and sat back in front of her and leaned in close and looked into her eyes. 

 

   “Lighting, level five.”

 

   The lights slowly grew brighter and Rey squinted. 

 

   “Look up to the left.”

 

   Rey sighed but did as he asked.

 

   “Look up to the right.”

 

   Silence. Rey looked back at him to find him looking at her; his expression confused. 

 

   “Every Replicant has a serial number. Yet you don’t have one.”

   “Told you. Human.”

   “Lighting, level two. ...See, and yet there is the reflective glow. I’ll show you.” 

 

   He moved out of her sight then returned with a small mirror. He held it up to her face so that she could see herself. The glow wasn’t as bright as his, but sure enough it was there. Rey blinked and looked away, confusion and disbelief playing across her face. She then looked back at the man and his soft eyes and face full of knowing understanding. 

 

   “I don’t understand. I’m human. I have to be. Yet..”

   “Well whatever you are,” he said, looking her over again. “You’re clearly something different. ...Special.”

 

   Rey just looked at him wordlessly. She’d never once been called special before. They stared at one another for seconds that felt like minutes, then he rose and walked behind her. Rey felt the bonds on her hands give way. She didn’t know what to think but rubbed at her wrists and watched as he moved into his kitchen and began looking for something. 

 

   “What now?”

   “Now...you eat. You’re malnourished and probably dehydrated.”

 

   Rey watched as he pulled out a box of something and began heating it up then grabbed a bottle containing some clear liquid. She didn’t understand. He was feeding her now? A part of her brain told her to get up and run straight for his door and run as far away as she could. And yet she was overwhelmed her curiosity. He was like some strange puzzle she couldn’t quite understand but felt to need to figure out. And if the imagies she’d see were indeed his memories, his life hadn’t exactly been pleasant either. Thought she didn’t know what to make of the man she’d seen who looked a lot like a younger Han. 

   The man walked back over and sat the food and drink before her. She looked at the food then back up at him. He nodded towards the food then walked back into his kitchen to find something for himself she supposed. She looked back at the food. It looked good, whatever it was. She sniffed it and began to eat. It tasted amazing. He came back moments later with a small bowl and two sticks and began eating with the bowl up against his mouth.

 

   “So...what now?” she asked.

 

   He finished his food and got up to place it back in the kitchen then moved back into the room and grabbed his coat and looked over at her. 

 

   “Now, I report in. ...You should finish eating and try and get more rest. And shower. You’re filthy. I’ll pick up a change of clothes for you on my way back.”

 

   He then turned toward the door and opened it.

 

   “And don’t bother trying to leave. The door only unlocks for my print.” 

   “Wait! Rey called, rising from the table. “I don’t know what to call you.”

 

   The man turned to look back at her and thought for a moment. 

 

   “My serial number is KY10-R3N. But I like to call myself Kylo Ren. And you?”

   “Rey.”

   “Rey. ...I like it.”

 

   Then he turned and walked out the door; the lock clicking shut behind him. Rey looked around her and sat back down. There were hardly any furnishings and the rooms were small and flowed together. Small windows let in moving lights from outside. Rey slowly began to eat once more. She had no idea how long he’d be gone, but a shower had been a rare privilege she often didn’t get growing up. 

   She found herself grateful to Kylo. He’d spared her life, offered her food and drink and the use of his fresher and bed. That was more than anyone had ever offered her in the Wastelands. She finished her food and fizzy sweet liquid and tried to focus on understanding the conversations they’d had and not think about what might happen once he returned.  


	12. Baseline

   Kylo knew something was up the moment he got out of his Silencer and saw Hux walking toward him in in the hanger bay of all places. And his hidden smile made Kylo all the more uncomfortable. He leaned over and hid the bag containing the outfit he’d purchased for Rey under the passenger seat and got out acting as though nothing was any different than usual.  

 

   “Well?”

   “Well what?”

   “Did you find the traitor and the file?”

 

   Kylo flexed his jaw. He was in no mood to play Hux’s little games and walked right past the man. 

 

   “I’m here to speak with Snoke about this very topic. Not you.”

   “Yes. I’m sure he’d love an audience. But first, you’re past due for your Baseline.”

 

   Kylo stopped and turned to glare at Hux.

 

   “I don’t have time for your pointless test, Hux.”

 

   Hux’s frown slowly turned upward, and his air of superiority once again returned.

 

   “I wasn’t the one who ordered it. Snoke was disappointed to hear that you had let an enemy of the Order escape with valuable information right under your nose. He’s...concerned you’re losing your edge R3N.”

 

   Kylo swallowed and looked away as he turned and left the hanger.

 

~

 

   Kylo entered the small harshly lit room and sat on the one stool available and looked at the small lense on the wall. He took a deep breath and focused. He’d had to do this several times before and it always turned out fine. There was no reason to think he couldn’t pass this time. A voice came over the speaker and began the test. 

 

   “Let’s begin. Recite your baseline.”

   “And blood-black nothingness began to spin… A system of cells interlinked within cells interlinked within cells interlinked within one stem… And dreadfully distinct against the dark, a tall white fountain played.”

   “Cells.”

   “Cells.”

   “Do they keep you in a cell? Cells.”

   “Cells.”

   “When you’re not performing your duties do they keep you in a little box? Cells.”

_    My apartment is like a box.  _ “Cells.”

   “Interlinked.”

   “Interlinked.”

   “What’s it like to hold the hand of someone you love? Interlinked.”

   He blinked. “Interlinked.”

   “Did they teach you how to feel finger to finger? Interlinked.”

_    I touched her wrists.  _ “Interlinked.” He blinked again.

   “Did you buy a present for the person you love? Within cells interlinked.

   He swallowed.  _ I bought her clothes… _ “Within cells interlinked.”

   “Stem.”

   “Stem.”

   “When’s the first time you gave a flower to a girl? Stem.

   “Stem.”

   “What did she look like? Stem.”

   His eyes shifted away for a nano second. _Unique._ “Stem.”

   “Dreadfully.”

   “Dreadfully.”

   “What’s it like to be filled with dread? Dreadfully.”

   “Dreadfully.”

   “Do you think you could find out all the answers to all the questions? Dreadfully.”

   He raised his chin. “Dreadfully.”

   “Distinct.”

   “Distinct.”

   “Do you have a particular personality? Distinct.”

   “Distinct.”

   “What separates somebody from somebody else? Dreadfully distinct.”

   He paused for a second. “Dreadfully distinct.”

   “Dark.”

   “Dark.”

   “Do you have dark thoughts? Dark.”

   “Dark.”

   “Did they program you to have dark thoughts? Dark.”

   He blinked. “Dark.”

   “Against the dark.”

   “Against the dark.”

   “What kind of power do you have against the dark? Against the dark.”

   He breathed deeply. “Against the dark.”

   “Do you think you can protect people against the dark? Against the dark.”

   He paused. “Against the dark.”

   “...You’re not even close to Baseline. Report to Snoke, KY10-R3N.”

 

   Kylo looked down as his heart pounded and swallowed. 

 

~

 

   The doors to Snokes office slid open. Kylo hated being in this room. As if to show off his wealth, the entire office had been made with rare dark cherry-red wood. The room itself was pyramidal in shape but the floor was nothing but slow shifting water that appeared black and depthless. Beams of light pierced out of the water and shifted up along the corners of the walls, like artificial albino snakes slithering towards the ceiling.

   Kylo took careful steps on the wide planks of wood that acted like steps towards the raised wooden platform that seemed to float in the middle of the room. He heard the door close and looked behind him to see Hux slip his way into a dark corner. Kylo turned back and faced the only seat on the platform; Snoke’s, with him sitting in it dressed in a golden threaded kimono. Kylo lowered his head in a bow before continuing down into a kneeling position. 

 

   “KY10-R3N. My prodigy. I’m glad you came. I’ve been worried about you.”

 

   Kylo licked his lips and swallowed. 

 

   “You need not worry, Master.”

   “No? Word that has reached me recently has me to thinking otherwise.”

   “What is it that concerns you?”

 

   Silence filled the air and Kylo fought the urge to look up. 

 

   “You are the best Replicant I have ever created. The best Blade Runner ever crafted. You carry out your orders diligently and efficiently, as you should. Yet I now suddenly hear you failed to obtain valuable information of the whereabouts of Luke Walker and even allowed an apparent traitor to slip past you. You then kept what information you found to yourself rather than bringing it directly to me. And you, of your own free will, decided to run off to the Wastelands in hopes of correcting your mistakes. And yet you kneel here before me, wounded and empty handed. Should I not be concerned?”

 

   Kylo risked looking up to see his master’s face and was met with cold calculation and disappointment. He lowered his eyes again and mentally scrambled to salvage the situation. 

 

   “I found the traitor but he was aided by a girl, a Scavenger, that helped him escape. She was able to wound my face during her capture. I’d planned on questioning her.”

 

   He looked up again to see Snoke’s reaction. He was out of his chair and pacing, angry looking but deep in thought. 

 

   “A Scavenger girl...bested you. ...You’ve grown weak, KY10-R3N.”

 

   Snoke’s voice was cold and his eyes, now pinning Kylo to the floor, seemed to burn with fury. 

 

   “She’s not what she appears.” 

 

   Kylo hated how his voice let on the fear he was feeling.

 

   “I’m certain she’s a Replicant but I’ve never come across anything like her. She showed a high level of intelligence and seemed to match every fighting ability I have, yet I saw no sign of a serial number or manufacturer brand on her. And she seems to think she’s human.”

 

   Snoke looked him over as if he was trying to make up his mind on whether to believed him or not. But then he looked away and sat in his chair once more.

 

   “You said you’ve captured her?”

   “Yes, Master.”

   “Then listen well KY10-R3N. You will leave now and retrive the girl then bring her straight here to me, and I will question her myself. Do you understand?”

   “Yes, Master.”

   “Now go. And do not fail me again.”

 

   Kylo rose to stand, and with his head still bowed, turned to walk to the door. As he waited for it to fully open Kylo looked over and found Hux grinning from ear to ear. Kylo didn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction and just walked out the door.    

~

 

   Hux climbed up the steps then handed over a data pad and bowed.

   “His test results.”

   Snoke looked over the questions and the K-complex results. They were very telling. 

   “He feels something towards this Scavenger girl. ...Yet his apparent weakness can work to our advantage. HUX, I want you to track him. Inform me if he attempts to leave the city.”

   “Of course,” Hux answer with glee.


	13. One Small Part

   The two men had sat in silence for was seemed to at least be an hour after they argued about going back for Rey. Finn had insisted Han do something to help her but all he’d said was that she was a tough girl and could handle herself. When Finn had tried to convince him that Rey couldn’t survive against a Blade Runner all Han had done was look sick and shrugged, saying that if that was the case then there really was nothing he could do. 

   Finn felt helpless, but he supposed that she was just one more casualty he’d come across in trying to deliver the file. But it didn’t feel right to him. Rey deserved better than to be cut down just for showing a stranger kindness. He couldn’t wait to hand over the file and be ride of it. Yet he had no clue what to do after he did. Would the Resistance believe he was apart of them? Would they just let him walk away if he chose? What would he do if he did? He looked over to Han. He just sat slumped in his seat and was vaguely looking at what was in front of them.

 

   “So”, Finn said, attempting to start up a conversation. “You’re a smuggler? What sort of things do you smuggle?”

 

   Han slowly looked over at him and gave him a bored look.

 

   “Why you askin? Thinking of becoming one?”

 

   Finn shrugged and tried to think of something to say. But Han beat him to the punch. 

 

   “Listen kid, I don’t know what kind of crap story you fed Rey but I don’t believe for a second that you’re a fighter for the Resistance. You would have known who was on that file.”

 

   Finn swallowed and felt his heart rate quicken. 

 

   “Okay, look. I was created to be a Trooper for The First Order. But on my first mission I kind of panicked. I ran into the guy who was actually tasked with bringing Leia the file but I wanted to get away and thought that was my chance. But when we were about to get caught he gave me the file and told me to deliver it. ...Then he killed himself. I don’t know why I agreed to do it. I had no idea what was on it or even the name of the guy that gave it to me. ...When I got back they could tell something was wrong with me. So I freaked out and knew I had to get away. So I stole one of their patrol cars and just ran for it. They must have tracked me because I was shot down not long after. Once I left the crash I was attacked by Scavengers but Rey showed up out of nowhere and saved me. She took me to her hideout and promised she’d bring me to you. ...I’ve never had anyone stick their neck out for me like that.”

 

   Han worked his jaw then turned back to look out the window. 

 

   “Leia’s been trying to get in contact with a man known as Lor San Tekka. He’d believed he’d found the whereabouts of Leia’s brother, Luke. Leia’s always been on the more political front of issues regarding Replicants but her brother was an actual genetic designer for Imperial Industries and then later for The First Order. He was always in charge of the more...experimental prototypes. After Snoke got a hold on one of his Replicants Luke just up and vanished, taking with him all his secrets and everything. Leia thinks he knows some secret to taking down Snoke but...I doubt he does. Luke hated working for Snoke and Snoke didn’t want a loose end out there somewhere.”

 

   Finn said nothing for a while as he processed the information Han had just shared. This whole thing really was bigger than him. But it proved Han really did know the Resistance. Pretty well in fact. Yet Han seemed human. Maybe he was a sympathizer.

 

   “You must have been with Resistance for a long time to know all that then.”

 

   Han huffed gruffly.

 

   “I’m not ‘with them’. I just run things for them on occasion.”

   “Then how do you know so much about Leia Organa?”

 

   Han looked over at him and pressed his lips into a thin line then sighed after a moment, looking defeated.

 

   “She’s my wife. Though, we haven’t really seen each other in years. Not since… Well, ...anyway, I’ll make sure I get you to her,” Han said, clearing his throat and sitting up straighter in his seat and turning his focus back to the view out the windshield.

 

   Finn took that as the end of their conversation and also returned his attention to the view before them. They’d left the Wastelands and had been flying over deserted cities long left abandoned. Tiny little flakes of white began to slowly fall against the windshield. Finn knew it to be snow but he’d never actually see it.  


	14. Causality

   Back in his car, Kylo let out a shaky breath. He had no idea what he was going to do. There was no doubt in his mind that if he didn’t return with Rey in toe Snoke would truly kill him. But Snoke would just tear her mind in two and then pick her apart piece by piece trying to figure out what kind of Replicant she was. Kylo actually felt physically ill at the thought. He’d been subject to Snoke’s tortures and hated the thought of Rey, who’d already lived a full life of suffering, to go through more of it. But he only had forty-eight hours to return his Baseline to normal, and he wasn’t exactly eager to die for someone who he barely knew. He looked over at his passenger seat and pulled out the bag with her new clothes in it. 

 

_    Just go back, give her the clothes, tell her you’ll take her somewhere safe and then turn her over. She’ll be off your hands and you can gain Snoke’s favor back, find Luke, kill him, and get back to a normal life. _

 

   But as he thought of how he’d lie to her all he could see in his mind were her hazel eyes looking up at him. Kylo let go of the bag and grasped onto the steering wheel and blinked away his shame as he started his car.

 

_    A normal life of pain, bloodshed, and isolation.  _

 

~

 

   Kylo walked up to his door and took a deep breath. He placed his thumb over the scanner and opened the door; the lights already on. He walked down the micro hallway that lead to his living/bedroom and stopped. As if she were a small child, he found Rey standing on his bed, dressed in nothing but one of his black long sleeve shirts, looking out one of the windows and watching in awe at the ads that shifted by. 

   Kylo had passed by woman, both human and Replicant, every day for years. Some covered from head to toe, other dressed only in glitter, but not once had he ever truly stopped to look at any of them. But he was looking now. Underneath all that dirt and grime and rags had hidden a beautiful young woman. And nothing about her was fake. Her brown hair hung down to her shoulders except for one small bun that held the strands out of her face. A face that was bare and smooth save for a tiny nick he could see on her lower right cheek. A pronounced collarbone was visible from the neckline and the sleeves, too long for her, were bunched at the elbows, exposing her forearm. But it was the sight of his large shirt hanging off her petite frame ending right at her thighs and exposing her toned legs that caused him to swallow. 

   He must have shifted or made a noise or something because she suddenly turned to look at him and crouched down on his bed and away from the window.

 

   “I couldn’t sleep. The lights, ...they bothered me.”

 

   They use to bother him too. But Kylo didn’t seem to be able to speak to tell her so. Rey looked away from him and uncomfortably pulled his shirt sleeves down over her arms. 

 

   “I didn’t want to put back on my clothes since they were so dirty so I found this and thought -” She began to explain.

 

   “No.” Kylo cleared his throat and tried again. “It’s fine.” 

 

   Rey looked over at him with those big round eyes of hers and gave him a shy smile. Then she slowly got off the bed and cautiously walked toward him. He wanted to step back but it was as if he was rooted in place. He stood straighter and looked down at her. He had no idea why he felt terrified. 

 

   “Is that for me?” she softly asked, pointing to the bag clutched tightly in his hand.

 

   Kylo glanced down at the bag then back at her as he handed it to her. 

 

   “Yeah. I, um, didn’t know what size.”

 

   He watched as her mouth formed into a wide smile as she looked over the clothes. She then looked up at him briefly; her beautiful hazel eyes shimmering with emotion and unshed tears. 

 

   “Thank you.”

 

   He watched her as she turned away and headed for the fresher and slid the door closed. Kylo blinked and started to breath again. He walked over to where she had been standing on his bed. He turned and fell back onto it for the first time in what was probably months and watched the colored lights shapeshift on his ceiling. 

 

   “...Fuck, I’m screwed.” 

 

~

 

   Rey sniffed as her tears fell. He’d kept his word. He’d brought her clothes. And not only that, they were brand new. Rey gently touched the fabric and grinned. She pulled off his shirt and began putting on her new clothes. 

   She was use to her clothes being baggy but this was form fitting yet comfortable.  Rey loved it. The brown belt matched her calf-high boots and hair, the light grey pants matched her sleeveless jacket, and the dark grey shirt matched the separate tight sleeves that she slid up her arms. The v-neckline showed a little more skin than she was used to, but other than that and her shoulders, she was covered. And she was grateful for it. Rey looked into the mirror and smiled at the girl looking back at her. She’d never seen herself like this before.

 

~

 

   Kylo had forced himself off his bed and now found himself pacing in thought. If he didn’t take her to Snoke someone would just be sent to find them. But he wasn’t sure he could go through with it. Every lie he’d practiced on the way here had died the moment he saw Rey.

 

_    Damn it, you Retire Replicants all the time! Why is she so different? _

 

   “Kylo? You okay?”

 

   Kylo stopped mid step and turned towards the fresher at the sound of his name. He looked her over and swallowed. 

 

   “Something wrong?”  

 

   He watched as she walked up to him. Kylo could only imagine this was the pain other Replicants felt as he killed them. If she’d only stop looking at him like that. He opened his mouth to speak; to tell her that nothing was wrong, that they were going to a safe place.

 

   “They want me to bring you in for interrogation”, he blurted out. 

 

   Her look of concern turned to one of fear and she took a step back from him. Kylo felt as if Snoke himself were squeezing his neck in one hand and his heart in the other. Kylo looked away and quitely swore then dropped onto his sofa and threw his head back against the wall. He couldn’t do it. He didn’t know what to do but he couldn’t take her in. 

 

   “And...will you?”

 

   Her voice sounded small but he didn’t look at her. He didn’t want to see the fear in her eyes that he’d caused. 

 

   “No. I told them I would but, ...I don’t have the strength to.”

 

   There was only silence that seemed to drag on between them until he felt a slight movement near him on the sofa. He looked over to see her sitting next to him. Her body language was cautious but open. 

 

   “Why?”

 

   Kylo just looked at her as reasons ran through his mind. 

 

_    Because you don’t deserve it. Because they will do cruel and terrible things to you. Because you’re special. Because you’re real. Because you make me feel real. Because I never want you to stop looking at me with those hazel eyes of yours. Because… _

 

   He noticed her shoulders relax and she gave him a small nod, as if she somehow knew.

 

   “So what do we do?” she asked 

_    We? ...We. _ “I honestly don’t know. They’ll come after us if I don’t show up. They’ll kill me and...”

   “So we run. We hide. And when they find us, we fight.” 

 

   Kylo couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the side of his mouth at hearing the conviction in her voice. She wasn’t afraid. She had no idea how much she should be, but she wasn’t. 

 

   “I’m not going back to the Wastelands,” Kylo stated flatly.

 

   She looked at her hands and smiled for a moment before letting it fade. Then she stared off across the room for a moment before looking back at him.

 

   “The map you were looking for… You said it lead to someone named Luke. Was he one of the men in your memories?”

 

   Kylo slowly sat up and turned to face her. He’d completely forgotten about finding Luke. He frowned. He could find Luke and finally confront him. He could possibly have answers about what Rey really was. And if it came to it, he could kill him as a way to get back into Snoke’s good graces. 

 

   “Yeah, he was. He was my designer.”

 

   Rey’s face lit up and she shifted even more to fully face him. Kylo noted how dangerously close her knee had come to touching him. 

 

   “And he’s supposed to be hard to find, right?”

   “Yeah. That is, until the Resistance gets their hands on the file FN-2187 was carrying.”

   “Then we’ll find him, this Luke. If he designed you then he might be willing to help you.”

 

   Kylo huffed in disbelief, but it wasn’t a horrible plan. Kylo considered it for a second then nodded. 

 

   “Okay. But we’re gonna have to stop by Maz’s and get your staff replaced. How do you feel about using a sword?”  


	15. Downtown

   Rey watched as Kylo moved about the apartment gathering up his gun, sword hilt, some little bottle of liquid, loose credits, his external drive, then quickly stepped into the fresher to change. Rey suppressed a smile as he walked out, once again dressed in black. 

 

   “Okay. We should go.”

   “The Bacta?”

 

   He turned to look at her.

 

   “What?”

 

   Rey walked up to him and looked at the wound she’d given him on his cheek. 

 

   “Your wound. It will still need Bacta to heal.”

 

   Rey watched as he looked away from her as if in shame.

 

   “It’s fine,” he stated flatly. “It’s going to scar anyways. I didn’t get the stuff on fast enough.” 

 

   Rey did feel some form of pity for him, but she stopped herself from apologizing. She wasn’t going to apologize for defending herself. But she could make it up by making sure it didn’t become infected. She turned and headed towards the fresher.

 

   “I’ll find it.” 

 

   Rey looked on a little shelf for the small tube she’d usually seen Bacta in. After shifting a few of his items she found it, mostly empty. She frowned. Bacta was powerful stuff and a little went a long way. And it wasn’t cheap either. She turned to leave but froze when she found him standing at the doorway.

 

   “Really Rey, I’ll be fine. I’ve suffered worse.”

 

   Rey wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she chose to say nothing, and instead reached over and placed the tube into the bag of items he was holding before looking up at him and sliding past him. 

 

   “Now we can go”, she said as she walked to the door. 

 

~

 

   As far as Rey knew, she’d never been to Hanna City. But as she looked out Kylo’s car window at all the neon and holograms and other cars it was...overwhelming. 

 

   “Its so...bright”, she finally admitted. “Do you like living here? In the city?”

 

   He didn’t say anything at first and Rey looked over to see him shift his hair off to the side and out of his face. 

 

   “I never really gave it any thought. ...I guess?” 

 

   He paused and seemed to think about it. 

 

   “Actually, no. It’s loud and I find the ads everywhere annoying. Sometimes humans can be real assholes to us Replicants. And somehow, despite so many people, the feeling of loneliness never seems to go away. The gap between the wealthy and the poor can be found everywhere. Those who choose to stay are either too poor to get off world or are paid well enough to make them stay.”

   “So, is that why you stay? They pay you to?”

 

   He looked over at her for a moment then back out the window. 

 

   “I’m paid well enough. But I’m only really allowed to go where Snoke tells me.”

   “...Is he the redhead or the man that hit you?”

   He sighed. “...The second one. Hux is the redhead you saw. He’s the other Replicant that works closely with Snoke.”

 

   Kylo looked over at her then, to see her reaction she guessed. But she just looked at him with sad understanding. Kylo might have lived better than her, but he still had his own Plutt to deal with. Rey decided to change the subject.

 

   “So who’s Maz?” 

 

   She heard him give a huff that might have been a sort of laugh.

 

   “Maz is a little bit of everything. She owns a bar but she’s a lot more. She’s a good source of information and an importer of rare goods, providing you don’t rat her out to the authorities or run up a tally. She’s who I got my blade and blade oil from. Made specifically for me off world. I’m hoping she’ll have something that will work for you.”

   “Hmm.”

   “Actually we just past her shop but the parking platforms are up ahead there”, he informed her, pointing off to her right at a tall building that was stacks of grey rectangles with cars flying in and out of the open sides.

  
  


   Rey was fascinated by the doors to his car, raising and lowering themselves automatically. Kylo must have found her interest amusing because when she heard him chuckle he was watching her. She gave him a shy smile and followed him towards the stairwell. As soon as they were ground level Rey stood wide eyed at just how many people and vehicles there were. 

 

   “Stay close”, she heard Kylo whisper in her ear. 

 

   Rey jerked, not even realizing he’d gotten so close, but then nodded and trailed after him as he threaded his way into the flowing bodies. 

  
  


   Most seemed to either keep their heads down or were acting as if looking for something or someone. There were some dressed as if they’d just come from the Wastelands, others were dressed in leathers and plastics or some fluffy material she’d never seen. Rey was then knocked in the shoulder by someone she didn’t even notice. She looked back and found Kylo several steps ahead of her and she tried to quicken her pace. She watched him weave into a brightly lit open area with tables that some were sitting or standing at and eating. As he walked into the area she skidded to a halt as a hologram appeared and danced around her singing and shaking some kind of drink in her face. Rey stepped back and bumped into a table. She quickly made her way back into the street and looked around for him. A large vehicle with spinning brushes slowly inched toward her and everyone moved to make way for it. Rey was caught in the flow and pushed forwards.

 

   “Kylo?” she called out. “Kylo?”

 

   The vehicle passed and everyone moved back into the middle of the street. Rey stopped and looked around trying desperately to find some sign of him. 

 

   “What’s wrong girly? Lost?”

 

   Rey turned to see two barely clothed woman standing behind her. They smiled at her but Rey read that everything about their mannerisms were fake. 

 

   “You can come hang out with us if you want?”

   “I’m fine. I was just looking for someone”, Rey said, trying to sound calm.

   “Rey!”

 

   Rey spun around to see Kylo’s head shifting a little above everyone else and moving towards her as quickly as he could. 

 

   “This lost lamb yours?” one of the women asked Kylo as he approached.

 

   He eyed the two women suspiciously before placing his hand on her upper back and guiding her away. 

 

   “Keep a close eye on her. You’re welcome to come by and thank us anytime”, the women called after him. 

 

   Kylo moved them away farther down the street then stopped in front of a shop. 

 

   “You okay? I told you to stay close!”

   “I’m fine. I just...got cut off and lost sight of you.”

 

   He looked her over then nodded and looked out across the street. 

 

   “There. That’s Maz’s. We’ll make a run for it once this bus passes.”

  
  


   As soon as the crowd spread out again after the bus had passed Kylo stepped out into the street and made his way over as quick as he could. Rey hurried closely after him, her eyes never once straying from him. 

 

~

 

   Kylo turned to make sure Rey was beside him. He didn’t want to lose her again. He then opened the door and ushered her in.  A quick sweep of the bar showed no sign of Maz. He moved further in till he heard his name yelled out.

 

   “Kylo Ren.”

 

   He turned and saw the short wrinkled old woman walking proudly up to him. 

 

   “Maz.”

   “It’s been a while. Not since I sold you that oil. Here for a drink or something more?”

   “I’d love a drink, but I’m here for something else.”

 

   The woman then leaned to see past him and adjusted her glasses and took in Rey. 

 

   “Who’s the girl?”

   “This is Rey”, he said, moving to stand next to her. 

 

   The woman eyed them both then turned and waved for them to follow her. She led them into a back room and turned on the dim lights. 

 

   “I assume this visit isn’t job related then”, she said as she sat in a chair. 

   “No. I was actually wondering if you had anymore off world blades available.”

   She frowned. “Why? You lose yours? That was a one of a kind blade you know!”

   “No Maz, I haven’t lost it. ...I was actually hoping you’d have one for her,” he said, looking down at Rey. “I knew no one better to go to than you.”

   “Well you’re damn right about that!” Maz said, jumping from the chair and walking back to some shelves and boxes. “Let’s see… Hmmm. I’m assuming your friend here is no Blade Runner. What were you using before my dear?”

 

   Kylo looked over to Rey. Rey cleared her throat and replied.

 

   “Um, a staff?”

   “Hmm. Interesting. Don’t have any of those. But…ah, this might do.” 

 

   Maz appeared again with a box in her hand and held it up for Rey to open. 

 

   “It’s of the same material and retractable design as Kylo’s, but it lacks the crossguard and has a nice blue sheen to it.” 

 

   Kylo watched with slight eagerness as Rey opened the box and took out the smooth silver hilt. It was a lot different looking than his bulkier black one. Rey weighed it in her hand then stepped back to extend the blade. Maz had been right. The blue glint of the metal was nice and seemed to match Rey perfectly. She twirled it with her wrist then gripped it with both hands to point it out as he sometimes did, then twisted it to the side and swung back. Maz hummed in a proval. Kylo felt a sudden rush of heat run through him. 

   Rey relaxed her stance and retracted the blade. A satisfied smile spread across her face. 

 

   “It’s wonderful”, she said, offering the hilt back to Maz.

 

   Maz shook her head and pushed it back towards Rey.

 

   “Keep it. It suits you. And it’s been sitting on that shelf for ages. I thought I’d never get rid of it.”

   “Maz”, Kylo protested. “I can pay you for it.”

   “I know you can. But you need to save what credits you have for getting yourselves out of whatever trouble your in.”

 

   Kylo frowned at her. Rey then looked between the two and reluctantly spoke up.

 

   “How do you know we’re in trouble?”

 

   Maz laughed and shook her head.

 

   “My child, this boy has never come in here for anything other than work related needs. Now he shows up with a girl he can’t stop looking at and is in a hurry to buy her a weapon? I don’t know what’s happened and I’m not going to ask, but I know the eyes of someone looking to run and you both have it. Keep the saber my dear. I get the feeling you’re going to need it.”

 

   Rey swallowed but nodded and said a small thank you. Maz then moved to the door and opened it, allowing Rey out first. As Kylo moved to walk past, Maz held her hand out and waved him to bend down. He did so and let the old woman whisper in his ear. 

 

   “There’s something special about her.”

 

   Kylo couldn’t help but look over at Rey.

 

   “I know.”

 

   He looked back a Maz and found her studying him. Then she nodded and shooed him out of the room. 

 

~

 

   Once they stepped outside of Maz’s they were both met with drizzling rain.

 

   “Shit. I forgot to buy you a raincoat.”

   “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”  

   “We’ll make a run for the car, okay?”

 

   Instead of replying Rey grabbed onto his coat sleeve and gripped it for dear life. Kylo looked down at her hands then up to her face, but she was just looking out into the mass of people. He wasn’t sure why he felt disappointed she’d grabbed his coat rather than his hand, but he pushed that thought aside. They needed to move.      


	16. Pieces In Motion

   PH4-SM4 marched into KY10-R3N’s apartment once her Trooper had broken the door. She observed the room and what little it contained. The bed was slightly wrinkled, there were dirty dishware and a damp rag sitting in the sink, a pile of what she would only call filthy rags in the fresher floor alongside what had to be R3N’s attire, and still present beads of water in the basin. She did however notice his data pad was still sitting out on the table. She picked it up and looked through it but found nothing incriminating or anything that might give hint to where he had gone. PH4-SM4 grabbed her own data pad and made the call to HUX.  

 

~

 

   Hux stood in his office staring at the skyline. Snoke had been too lenient on KY10, he felt, and he was eager to see him suffer. He’d already had one of his men go to Records to obtain the man’s Tie Silencer data for tracking. He’d also sent PH4-SM4 to see if this mystery girl was actually at his apartment as he claimed. Sending R3N back to get her seemed like a foolish choice, especially if she was the cause of his irregular test results. Maybe Snoke was baiting him for something else. 

 

   “Sir?”

   “What is it, Joi?”

   “You have an incoming call from PH4-SM4. Shall I accept?”

   “Yes.”

 

   Hux hurried over to his chair and sat as the call appeared on his screen.

 

   “Sir, I have infiltrated KY10-R3N’s living quarters as you ordered and neither he nor the female Replicant are here. However there are signs that they had been here not that long ago.”

   “Anything to give a time frame?”

   “Long enough for food residue to have dried on a dish but recent enough for the fresher basin to still be wet.”

   “Snoke didn’t really give him the luxury of time to eat and shower. He should have been here by now. Any sign of this girl?”

   “There is a raggedy outfit and a pair of filthy boots that are clearly too small for him. I assume they belonged to her.”

   “So he treated an enemy to a change of clothes?”

   “It would would appear that way.”

   “Hmm. How interesting. Very good PH4-SM4, return to headquarters immediately.”

   “Yes sir.”

 

     Hux turned away from the screen and ran his hand over his gelled back hair. This seemed like evidence enough to prove R3N’s treason. Without even waiting for the tracking VIN id, Hux stood and marched straight to Snoke’s chamber.

 

~

 

   “HUX. You are not who I was expecting to see. Where is KY10-R3N?”

   “My Master, he has not yet shown. I sent one of our Captains to see what was keeping him but his living quarters were found empty. And there is more. It would appear that he took the time to allow the captive, the girl he spoke of, to change clothing. I very much get the feeling that he has fled with her.”

 

   Hux watched as the scared old man’s face twisted into morbid disgust. 

 

   “And have you tracked his location?”

   “Not yet. I am still waiting for the VIN id. But I will gladly shoot him down once I do.” 

   “No. ...I don’t want him dead. Not yet. This girl is of great interest to me and I want her alive. HUX, once you have his VIN, track him. See where he is going, and once he’s there, I want you to personally go and bring this girl back.”

 

   Hux blinked. This was not what he had expected. 

 

   “It shall be done, Master.”

   “Good. Now go, my good and faithful servant.”

 

~

 

   Han swung the hauler around an old landing platform and began to descend. It was hard to see them but he could just barely make out seven humanoid forms moving about in the snow. 

 

   “They’re armed”, Finn stated with unease.

 

   Han glanced over to the young Replicant.

 

_    No shit.  _ “Were you expecting blankets?”

 

   The kid didn’t reply but still looked nervous.

 

   “I wouldn’t be too worried if I were you. You’re the one delivering the file. That makes you kind of a big deal”, he said with a chuckle.

 

   He moved to get out of his chair but his holo com chirped with an incoming message. He frowned. He hadn’t heard from Maz in years. And she wasn’t exactly the type to just make a pleasantries call. Finn looked over and gave him a questioning look. He wanted to just ignore it, but something in his gut told him to answer it. So, begrudgingly, he accepted the call and was greeting by Maz’s large glasses and wrinkled face.  

   “Hey Maz.”

   “Solo. That boy of yours came by today.”

   “...I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

   “Don’t give me that! Listen, I think he’s in some sort of trouble.”

 

   Han wanted to protest, wanted to make up the excuse of her signal being jammed and end the transmission, but some small part of him wouldn’t allow it. Maz knew about Ben and what all had happened between him and Leia after. He supposed, as some form of friendly gesture, Maz had been keeping tabs on the new twisted version of his son. What few times he’d visited Maz she’d just tell him the kid had stopped by, and the heartbroken part of him was a little glad to hear it. But he’d long ago accepted that his son was dead. Whatever was walking around with his face now wasn’t his son, and never would be.

 

   “He only ever comes in for a drink and information, yet today he shows up with a girl and offers to buy a saber for her. The kind Runner’s use. She was pretty handy with it too I might add.”

 

   Han slouched with a sigh. 

 

   “So what? Snoke’s got himself another Blade Runner.”

   “Han, I’m telling you, this girl is no Runner. And you didn’t see the way he was looking at her. And he seemed like he was in an awful hurry to get her out of here.”

 

   Before Han could tell her to drop it, Finn butted in.

 

   “Umm, hi. This girl, what did she look like? We were actually being chased down by a Blade Runner several hours ago and my friend was attacked by one.”

   “More like she attacked him”, Han mumbled.

   Maz looked between him and Finn. 

 

   “Well...It’s not like there’s a lot of Blade Runners around here. Who attacked you?” Maz asked.

   Han shrugged. “Some tall guy dressed in black. Didn’t exactly have the option of stopping to stare.”

   “It was KY10-R3N. Has a wicked looking blade with a cross handle”, Finn supplemented.

 

   Maz held up her hand to silence the kid and began to massage her eyes. 

 

   “Is your friend named Rey?”

   “Yeah! That’s her! Wait, how do you know that?”

 

   Han wanted to yell the obvious answer at the numbskull next to him, but he was too busy swallowing down the realization that the ghost of his son had tried to kill him. He was now glade he hadn’t gotten a good look at the guy. He probably would have stood there like some dumbstruck idiot and gotten shot. 

 

   “Because Rey is the girl he brought in here and got the weapon for.”

 

   Han watched Finn glance around in confusion. 

 

   “So...he didn’t kill her? That doesn’t make any sense. Unless he’s using her as a hostage.”

   “Kidnappers don’t buy weapons for their hostages, Finn”, Han informed him, rolling his eyes. “Though, Rey did see the images on that file, right? He’s probably using her to find Luke.”

 

   Maz suddenly laughed. “Oh Han. You are right back in the mess. Look, I didn’t ask any questions, but Rey was no hostage. It was clear they were both running away from someone. And he was making sure she could defend herself. ...He likes her. I could see it in his eyes.” 

 

   Han shook his head in disbelif. He had no idea what to make of all this, and neither did Finn, from the look of him. 

 

   “So what, Maz? Why are you telling me all this?”

 

   She looked sternly at him. 

 

   “So you’ll stop running from your family.”

   “No Maz, you can’t guilt me into this! You know everything fell apart after Ben died. Leia wants nothing to do with me and that man you saw is not my son! Look, I like Rey, she’s a good kid and I hate she’s gotten into whatever mess he’s in, but whatever it is you’re suggesting, I’m not doing it!”

 

   Maz said nothing but shook her head in disappointment. Han tried his best to ignore the little voice in his head that was calling him an asshole. 

 

   “Fine. If you see Leia, let her know. She’ll care.”

 

   And she ended the call. Han scowled at the holo for a moment then glanced over to Finn. The boy had silently watching the exchange but awkwardly looked away to avoid eye contact once he was caught staring. 

 

   “Nosy old woman”, he grumbled. “Come on Finn! The quicker you deliver that file the quicker I can get the hell out of this ice box!”


	17. Reunion

   Finn followed Han out of the hauler and out into the blowing snow. Seven armed Replicants walked up to them but upon seeing Han upclose they relaxed their weapons.

 

   “Sir? I was unaware you were due in for a delivery.”

   “I wasn’t.” 

 

   Finn watched as Han gestured to him.

 

   “But I need to talk to Leia. The kid here has the data file from Lor San Tekka.”

 

   The Replicant looked over at him for a moment then looked back at Han.

 

   “Follow me.”

 

~

 

   “Thank you Wexley. That’s good news. I’ll let you know when I hear back from Poe.”

 

   Leia ended the call and slumped over her small desk. Poe should have been back long ago and yet they still had no word from him. She walked over to the Caf distiller and poured herself another cup and watched as her hands shook. She was sleep deprived but she forced herself to stay awake as she sipped at the steaming cup. 

 

   “General?”

 

   Leia turned to see one of the guards men dusted in snow standing at her doorway.

 

   “Yes?”

   “Han Solo’s here. And he’s claiming the Replicant with him is carrying the file from San Tekka.”

 

   Leia quickly placed the cup down before she dropped it. She blinked several times before raising her head and recovering her air of authority. 

 

   “Bring them to me please.”

 

   Leia waited till the man had left before she made her way to a nearby chair and fell into it. She’d sent messages back and forth to Han a couple of times, but she hadn’t actually seen him since… God, she couldn’t even remember. Years maybe. And they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms. 

 

   “In here, sir.”

 

   Leia looked up to see her husband, now grey haired and jaw covered in stubble, walk into the room. And standing behind him like a scared child was a Replicant she didn’t know. Leia gripped the armrests of the chair to give her strength as she stood. 

 

   “Han.”

   “...Leia. ...You changed your hair again.”

 

   Leia huffed and pointed to his coat.

 

   “Same jacket.”

 

   She watched as the crooked smile she’d always loved crept slowly onto his face for a moment but then faded. 

 

   “Leia, this is Finn. I believe he has something you’re looking for.”

 

   Leia looked over to the nervous Replicant and watched as he dug into his pocket and held out to her a small metal case. She took it from him and opened it to see a data file. She looked back at the young man Han had called Finn.

 

   “I’m not really sure what’s on it, but the man who was supposed to give you this gave it to me right before...before he died.”

 

   Leia leaned back onto her desk and slowly closed her eyes. So that was why he hadn’t showed. Poe had been killed. She gave herself a moment to mourn then opened her eyes again and nodded. She stood and walked over to her Holo screen and began watching the memory images. They were San Tekka’s alright. She walked over to Finn and extended a hand to shake his. He returned the shake, albeit a bit awkwardly. 

 

   “Thank you, Finn. You don’t know how much this means to me. You’ve done us a great service. But I don’t believe we’ve met before. Are you a friend of Poe’s?”

   “Uh, not exactly”, the young man replied. “I’m actually a defector of the First Order. I tried to help Poe escape during the raid on their hideout but when it was clear we weren’t going to make it out he gave me that and made me promise to get it to you.”

   Leia eyed him. “I see. Leaving the Order couldn’t have been easy.”

   “No ma’am. I was actually almost killed, several times. But a friend of mine was able to help me get in touch with Han here and...,” he then glanced up at Han then her and shifted as if unsure to continue. “Hid me from the Blade Runner who was pursuing me.” 

 

   Leia noted the scowl that formed on Han’s face at that last part.

 

   “I see. The Runner didn’t trace you here, did he? Or she?”

   “No,” Han spoke up. “The girl who brought me Finn seems to have distracted him enough to have him given up our trail.”

 

   Leia wasn’t sure what to make of Han’s tone, or the look either man wore on their faces, but she nodded, comforted that that was one less thing she’d have to deal with. A silence seemed to hang in the air for a moment before Han cleared his throat.

 

   “Leia, uh, we need to talk.”

 

   Leia wanted to laugh at him. Now he wanted to talk? But she knew that if he was willing to then it was something she needed to hear. So she nodded and moved to take the data file from her holo.

 

   “Alright. Let me get this to my team for analyzing first, then we’ll talk. Finn? You look tired and it sounds like you’ve been through a lot. Let’s see if we can find you some food and something warm to drink.”

   “Thank you ma’am. I really appreciate that.”

 

~

 

   Han looked at the Caf distiller and wished it could magically turn into alcohol. He could use a good brandy right about now. And the whole bottle preferably. He had no idea how he was going to give Leia Maz’s message. Hell, he wasn’t even sure why he was doing it in the first place. Guilt, probably. He was always finding himself doing things he didn’t want to do out of guilt.

   When he heard the door clicked shut he looked up to see Leia leaning against the door. His beautiful wife’s face had become care worn and her brown hair was now sliver. But he could still see that fierce personality of hers shining through. He’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that he’d missed her, despite their differences of opinion. She walked over to where the Caf sat but bent down and grabbed two bottles then brought one over to him and kept the second for herself. Han accepted it and looked at the label. 

 

_    Bless this woman. It’s Riosan mead. _

 

   “They still make this stuff?”

   Leia chuckled. “Off world they do.”

   “Huh.”

 

   Han took a swig and relished the chilled taste and grunted his approval. 

 

   “So…”, Leia spoke up to get their conversation started. “You think Finn’s telling the truth?”

   Han nodded. “Yeah, I do. Kid’s too scared to think straight. Never known one of the Order to defect though. Snoke must be letting his standards slip.”   

 

   Leia huffed a laugh but her tone was still serious. 

 

   “We’re lucky he didn’t just turn the file over.”

   “Yeah. ...He seems like a good person. Rey trusted him.”

   “Rey?”

   “Yeah. She was this young Scavenger who was a fair trader I’d deal with sometimes when I’d head out to the Wastelands. Smart as a whip. She’d apparently found the kid after he was shot down and took him in. She’d heard me mention you and brought him straight to me.”

 

   He heard Leia snort and looked over at her. She gave him an amused look.

 

   “Now I know you’re lying.”

   “Am not!”

   “You actually mentioned me to someone?”

 

   Han shifted indignantly. 

 

   “Well I still think about you, from time to time.”

 

   In the past she would have kept digging at him, but she didn’t. Instead she just gave him a small smile.

 

   “So what happened to her? Didn’t feel like joining the cause?”

 

   Han took a long, slow sip of mead then sighed. 

 

   “Well that’s kind of were I was needing to talk to you. Right as we were getting ready to leave a Blade Runner showed up. Almost took out Finn and, had Rey not stepped in, probably would have taken me out. I didn’t hang around long enough to see what happened, I just assumed the worst but…”

   “But?”

   “Leia...it was him.”

 

   Han let the word settle in the air. Leia’s brows furrowed together but she said nothing. He supposed he should finish telling the story, even if he didn’t feel like it. 

 

   “I didn’t see the guy’s face but, I got a call from Maz as soon as I got here. I don’t know if you know, but Maz has been keeping tabs on...him...ever since Snoke took him. Turns out he was the Blade Runner after us. And rather than killing Rey like we thought, he took her. Maz seems to think they’re both running off together or some nonsense. Said they seemed like they were in trouble and making to get out of town and that he even got the girl a Runner’s blade.”

 

   He paused and looked over to see Leia’s reaction. She looked at him in confused surprise and slowly blinked her gaze away. 

 

   “Maz seemed to think he liked the girl, but it might be something else. Rey also saw what was on that file Finn gave you. If he got into her head...he might be looking for Luke.”

 

   Leia still wasn’t looking at him but he watched as her hand slowly came to cover her mouth. Han shifted uncomfortably. They said nothing for a long while. Han didn’t bother looking over at his wife. He was too busy trying to sort out his own feelings and didn’t want the added burden of trying to interpret hers too. Then finally in a small voice she spoke.

 

   “We have to find them. We have to find them, Han. We have to make sure he doesn't kill Luke. And, if he didn’t kill the girl, and is protecting her...then my Ben might still be alive.”

 

   Han’s heart sank at her words. 

 

   “I knew what Snoke had turned him into but I’d held out some hope that he was still our boy somewhere deep down. If he is, and he’s in trouble, we have to save him.”

 

   Han just looked at his wife’s hopeful face with tired eyes and swallowed. This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted to tell her. And also why the part of him that missed his son made him tell her anyways. 


	18. Triggered Memories

   Kylo jerked awake in a panic. His car was still flying above the ocean but at least now it was light outside. He slowly took in deep breaths to calm himself then looked over next to him. Rey was curled up in a tight fetal position but her face twitched with worry in her sleep. Her hands squeezed her legs as she let out a small whimper. Kylo sat straighter as he watched, unsure of what to do. 

 

   “No!”she cried softly.

 

   Kylo watched a single tear dripped from her eye. 

 

   “Come back!”

 

   Kylo reached out and shook her wrist.

 

   “Rey? Rey, wake up!”

 

   She sobbed and jerked her wrist but he didn’t let go.

 

   “Rey!”

 

   She yelled out once more but blinked awake as she gasped. She looked around her in terror then settled her eyes on his and let out a shuddering breath.

 

   “Kylo?”

 

   He looked at her in concern and slowly let go of her wrist. She watched the action, as if she hadn’t even noticed he’d touched her, then looked back up at him and sniffed. 

 

   “You okay?”

 

   She blinked multiple times as she looked around the car then slowly uncurled herself and nodded while wiping at her eyes. 

 

   “Yeah. Sorry. I was, um, having a...nightmare that I sometimes have.”

 

   Kylo looked away from her yet tightened his jaw, unsure if to drop the subject or try and comfort her. Then again he didn’t really know how to go about comforting someone. But his thoughts were broken by her weak laugh. Kylo looked over at her and watched as she picked at her sleeves. 

 

   “You’d think after all these years I’d stop having it”, she sniffed. 

 

   “Was it the memory of you being abandoned?” he asked cautiously. 

 

   She didn’t bother looking at him but she nodded as she wiped her eyes again. Kylo had never heard of someone reacting so strongly to their memories. Sometimes he felt something like a lingering of an emotion after certain dreams, but nothing like what he’d just witnessed. He’d only ever heard of humans feeling that way. 

 

_    No wonder she believes she’s human.  _

 

   “Getting lost on the way to Maz’s must have triggered it”, he offered. 

 

   Perhaps a logical cause might make her feel a little better. She looked over at him then out the window. 

 

   “Yeah. You’re probably right. I had gotten pretty scared.”

 

   Kylo was taken by surprise by the sudden need he felt to hold her. To wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly against him. 

 

   “So had I”, he admitted without even thinking. 

 

   Stunned, he glanced over at her to find she was now looking at him. A small shy smile formed at the corners of her mouth. She then looked down at the space between them and slowly moved her hand over near his thigh and stretched out her fingertips, her nail barely brushing his leg. 

 

   “That’s twice now you’ve come back for me.”

 

   Her voice was quiet and soft, yet she could have been shouting at him for all he knew. It was like the air had been sucked out and had taken all other noises along with it, leaving them only in a vacuum. She hadn’t looked at him when she said this. She’d only kept her eyes on her hand. Kylo swallowed and slowly moved his hand across his leg so that the back of his figures bumped into hers. He looked up at her and found her smile had grown. Then he looked back down at their hands and decided to risk gently dragging the back of his fingers down along the back of her hand.

 

   “Three times”, he said absentmindedly. 

   “What?”

 

   He stopped his hand and looked up at her. She was looking at him now with slight confusion. 

 

   “After we fought I chose to spare your life but was going to leave you there. Yet when I got in my car I couldn’t bring myself to actually leave you. So I went back, cut off your collar and took you with me.” 

 

   Kylo watched her process that information carefully. Leaving her left hand against his, he watched as her right hand ghosted it’s way to her neck; as if for the first time she was realizing that her collar was missing. 

 

   “Why?”

   He sighed. “I reasoned that it was because you might know something about the file. Which, turned out to be true in a way. But...despite you lying and cutting my face and causing me to fail my mission, I couldn’t shake the feeling of pity I’d felt for you as I watched Plutt mistreat you. How angry it made me feel. Or how your eyes seemed to pierce right through me every time you glanced up at me in the dome. I even felt a little respect towards you. You’re the only one that’s come close to being my equal in a fight. ...It felt wrong to leave you.”

 

   Rey said nothing, and Kylo felt like maybe he’d said to much. He swallowed and looked away from her and reluctantly pulled his hand away as he shifted in his seat. But he suddenly felt her figures slip into his hand and he stilled, looking over at her once more. Her eyes were watery but she didn’t let a tear fall.

 

   “Thank you”, was all she said. 

 

   Kylo’s throat felt suddenly tight and he found himself unable to reply. So instead he just chose to close his hand around her small calloused figures and look off into the never ending horizon; enjoying the comfort he felt from rubbing his thumb across her knuckles.   


	19. Hiding Place

   As they neared the supposed location to Luke Walker, Kylo sent out his Seeker Droid to scout ahead. He’d asked Rey to keep an eye on the droid’s feedback while he took over flight control due to rougher winds causing the car to shake about. They’d noticed little islands here and there showing up but nothing that seemed to stand out. 

   Kylo hadn’t said anything but he was beginning to get restless. They’d been flying for a few hours past the sea wall and the Silencer’s charge was getting low. He’d also heard Rey’s stomach growl a few times but she’d said nothing. 

 

   “There’s buildings up ahead”, he heard Rey comment. 

 

   He looked over at the video feed from the droid and sure enough there were a several buildings making their way up the side of an island. Kylo had to wonder if the top of the island had once been the top of a mountain. Over the last three decades the sea level had risen at an alarming rate and what was once islands were now seafloor and what was once mountains were now islands. Hanna City had been one of the few cities on Chandrila that had enough foresight to build a wall around the lower levels of the city to keep it from flooding.  

   Most of the buildings from the feed appeared damaged but Kylo wasn’t surprised. With how the winds had been these last couple of minutes there had to be lots of storms that made their way through this area.

 

   “It looks abandoned”, Rey mentioned quitely. “What was this place?”

 

   Kylo wasn’t sure but it reminded him of Off World ads showcasing getaway resorts and casinos, only this was a lot older and very weather worn. 

 

   “Luke’s in hiding. If he is here he’s not going to make it obvious. It’s a good spot to be honest. An old resort out in the middle of the sea, with bad weather around to keep intruders out.”

 

   As he brought the Silencer to hover around the largest building the droid sent over thermal scans. Kylo frowned. There was definitely living things down there. And something cold that was shaped a lot like a car. Kylo turned towards a open area just a little below where most of the heat signatures were coming from and set the Silencer down and waited a few moments for his droid to return. 

 

~

 

   Rey didn’t say anything, but she was very glad to be back on land. Stepping out of Kylo’s car, she looked around and smiled. It was windy, but for once the air actually smelled...fresh, she supposed. And she was surprised by how loud the water was below them as it crawled up along the edges of the island and bent back into the sea. 

 

   “Amazing!” she grinned. 

   “Rey.”

 

   Rey looked over to see Kylo walking towards the building and nodding his head for her to follow. She took one last glance at the view then jogged after him.

 

   “Careful”, Kylo warned her. “I wouldn’t put it past him to have some traps lying around.” 

 

   Rey kept that in mind and told herself to treat this as if she was entering unfamiliar turf in the Wastelands, and as if in reply her body became tense and alert. The inside was spacious with lots of old chairs scattered around and billowing fabric over most of the broken or cracked windows. Rey had never seen so much wood and stone in her life. If Plutt knew about this place he would have stripped it of everything and would have made enough to feed every man, woman, and child in the dome for several months; not that he would have though. 

   Movement in the corner of her eye caught Rey’s attention. Kylo must have noticed it as well because he swung his gun in the direction she turned her head. They both looked at some strange little creature with large round eyes that seemed to watch them. Kylo lowered the gun then continued towards the next open area. 

   They entered a large dome made from glass and Rey was amazed to see so much color. 

 

   “Kylo, what are these?”

   “Plants”, he said, sounding a little surprised.

 

   Rey had never seen a plant before. The whole room was filled with them and little tiny tubes running every which way around the floor that lead outside. As she walked over to one corner she could hear a low rumbling sound outside the glass. It seemed to be coming from a separate room that was exposed to the outside with a section of wall missing. Through a glass door she could see a mass of tiny little things flying around. 

   Rey went to pull the door open but Kylo moved to place his hand over top hers to stop her. She looked up at him but he was just watching the tiny things. One of them landed on the glass and began climbing up it.  

 

   “What are they?”

   “I don’t know. But there’s a lot of them and I’d rather not find out if their aggressive or not. 

   Rey thought that over and felt that was probably good advice. She went to move her hand away and Kylo moved his as well. The room leading out ended in a hall that led to several closed rooms, that reminded Rey a little of walking out of Kylo’s apartment building. Kylo pointed out several mounted solar panels down a rock stairwell. 

 

   “The Seeker droid was showing something that looked like a car in this area. Luke must use those to charge it.” 

 

   They moved down the hall of closed doors and entered another room full of equipment Rey had never seen. She watched as Kylo moved around to look at each thing. The look on his face told her he was either confused, upset, or both by what he was seeing. 

 

   “He’s here”, he said in a grave tone.

   “How do you know? What is all this?”

   “It’s lab equipment. All those things we saw he must have designed and created using these.”

 

   The idea of such a thing seemed wrong to Rey and she stepped closer to Kylo, eyeing the equipment with more suspicion. 

 

   “Why would he do that?”

   “My guess is he’s studying and living off them.” 

 

   Rey shifted her hand to rest on the blade hilt Maz had given her as her eyes fell on a monitor screen. She stepped over to it and looked over the images. They showed, among others, the rooms they had been in. Rey could see one of those round eyed animals moving around Kylo’s car. 

 

   “He was watching us”, she said, turning to face Kylo. 

 

   Kylo walked over and looked at the screen. Rey watched as his jaw tightened and his eyes hardened. But at the sound of a soft low click they both turned towards the hall entrance, her blade unsheathed and his gun raised. They both watched as a gun appeared out of the shadowed hallway, followed by a scraggly grey haired, bearded man. The three of them stood still, not wanting to risk the wrong move. Rey knew this had to be Luke. Other than looking older he looked just like the man she’d seen in Kylo’s memories. She decided to ask the obvious question.

 

   “Luke Walker?”

   The man said nothing, nor did he take his eyes off Kylo. It was clear to Rey that this man viewed Kylo as the bigger threat. Hoping to defuse the situation, Rey retracted her blade and placed it back on her belt. 

 

   “We don’t want to hurt you. We just want to talk.”

 

   The man slowly stepped into the room. 

 

   “So, ...talk.”

 

   Rey glanced over at Kylo. Neither man seemed like they would stand down. 

 

   “We need your help.”

   “Blade Runner’s don’t need help.”

   “I’m not a Blade Runner.”

   “No? The weapon at your side says differently. And I know for a fact he is.”

   “I’m not. I used to be a Scavenger in the Wastelands. Kylo just got me this so I could protect myself.”

 

   Luke narrowed his eyes but quickly glanced over to her, then back to Kylo. 

 

   “You here to kill me?” Luke asked Kylo.

 

   Rey looked up at Kylo. His grip on his gun was turning his hand white and his jaw was set tight. She bit her lip in uncertainty.

 

   “I’m here to find some answers.”

 

   Luke seemed thrown off by that answer and, while his gun was still aimed at them, his arm lowered. 

 

   “We’ve seen San Tekka’s memories. I want to know who Ben is. I want to know who the infant who’s mother died was. And I want to know why Leia abandoned me and you gave me up to Snoke.” 

 

   Luke let his gun completely fall to his side and sighed in what Rey assumed was defeat. Rey gently nudged her hand against Kylo’s leg and, reluctantly, and lowered his. Luke looked at each of them then grumbled.

 

   “Then let’s talk. But first, I’m gonna need a couple drinks. This way.” 


	20. Some Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A VERY LONG CHAPTER!

   Luke lead them down several hallways and large open rooms till he stopped at a door of no particular note. He opened the door and walked off towards a small kitchen that stretched along one side of the wall. Kylo kept an eye on him yet tried to stay near Rey’s side. She was instantly drawn to the large windows that faced out onto the sea and gave a good view of the curved portion of the island. Kylo let down his guard long enough to take a good look at the view as well. He wasn’t sure how it made him feel, but it stirred something within him. There was no crowd or ad or vehicle in sight. It seemed empty yet peaceful, like his apartment. 

   The sound of clinking glass brought Kylo back to the present and he looked back to see Luke pouring them shots. He slowly walked over to the counter and picked one up and tossed it back. Luke just gave him a drawn out look then did the same to the glass he’d filled for himself. 

 

   “You wouldn’t happen to have any food available would you? Rey needs to eat.”

   “Oh no, I couldn’t”, Rey protested in a worried tone. “I’ll be alright. I’ll just wait till we head back.”

 

   Kylo turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. 

 

   “The Silencer’s almost out of power and we don’t know how long we’ll be here. And your stomach has been growling for two hours now. You need to eat.”

 

   She looked away embarrassed and began examining the room again. Kylo turned back around to see Luke watching the exchange in silence. 

 

   “Well?”

 

   Luke poured himself another shot, swallowed it, then walked over to a cabinet.

 

~

 

   Luke couldn’t believe his eyes when he’d seen Kylo on the security screens. It had to have been well over a decade last he’d seen the young man. Yet he could only think of one reason why he would have found him. Snoke wanted him dead. Sure he wasn’t a Replicant, but that wouldn’t matter to Snoke. Why should that stop him from sending his best killer to do the job? And despite what Kylo had said about wanting answers, Luke had a feeling Kylo had wanted to kill him anyways. 

   What Luke couldn’t figure out was how the girl with him played into it all. He got the feeling that had she not been there he’d probably already be dead. But something about her had kept Kylo from pulling the trigger. And to see him show concern about her was interesting. That didn’t seem like a trait Snoke would have encouraged. And Blade Runners worked alone, not in pairs. Then again, she’d said she wasn’t one, and Luke had to agree. 

   Luke dug around in his cabinet trying to think of what to give them. He had some dried vegetable crisps he’d made a few weeks back still in there. And there was salted fish he’d ate two nights ago still in the fridge. He grabbed both and went about warming the fish. Luke turned to see the girl looking at an old scanner that had went out on him four years back. 

 

   “I wouldn’t bother if I were you. I looked at it and couldn’t get the thing to work.”

 

   The girl stopped and looked up at him then back to the scanner.

 

   “It wouldn’t be difficult to fix if you had the spare parts on hand. All you need is a new amplifier and a processing circuit. For it to be so old it’s in pretty good shape”, she told him proudly. 

 

   Luke frowned and glanced over to Kylo and found him looking at the girl fondly. Luke made a mental note of that. 

 

   “What was your name?”

   “Me? Rey.”

   “Rey. ...Rey, you like alcohol? I’ve got plenty of it.”

   “Not really.”

 

   Luke looked back over at her.

 

   “Water?”

   “Really? Yes, but only if you have enough to spare.”

   Luke chuckled. “I’ve got plenty. It rains a lot here.”

 

   Luke poured her a glass that he’d filtered and chilled then pushed it toward her. 

 

   “So, what’s a Scavenger from the Wastelands, whose got a blade yet isn’t a Blade Runner, doing with an actually Blade Runner all the way out here?”

   “We’ll ask the questions Luke”, Kylo butted in roughly.

 

   Luke rolled his eyes. “Well you have to start with a question in order to get an answer. And you haven’t asked any yet.” 

   “Let Rey eat and then we’ll start asking”, Kylo replied, none to kindly. 

 

   Luke frowned at him then turned back to see if the fish was finished. 

 

~

 

   Kylo had to admit, it was nice to eat something that wasn’t made out of ground grub protein. Rey seemed to feel the same, as she’d thanked Luke several times throughout the meal. Luke however had stayed fairly quite, speaking only to answer Rey’s questions on how he’d gotten the food.

   Kylo’s guess about Luke growing the plants and animals had been right. He was using the plants for food and filtering. The tiny flying insects were used for aiding the plants and providing sugars. The little round eyed creature they’d seen, some animal Luke called a Porg, had been crafted as a protein source for whenever he was unable to catch anything from the sea. He was impressed how well Luke had been able to manage all on his own. 

   But now that Rey was done it was time to get to the point. 

 

   “So, you met Lor San Tekka?” Luke asked. 

 

   “Briefly”, Kylo replied without emotion. 

 

   Luke narrowed his eyes at him. 

 

   “I see.”

 

   “Who’s Ben?”

 

   Luke took a deep breath and looked out the windows.

 

   “Leia Organa and Han Solo’s son. My nephew.”

 

   “What? Leia Organa was the person I sent my friend to deliver the memory file to. And a smuggler I’ve traded with for years is named Han Solo. Han had mentioned a Leia but he never mentioned a Ben”, Rey said, looking and sounding confused. 

 

   Kylo looked over at Rey. The smuggler? The guy he’d shot at? He looked back over to Luke and found him studying Rey. 

 

   “If he’s the same person I knew, you wouldn’t hear him mention his son”, stated Luke. 

   “I don’t understand,” Kylo jumped in, trying to gain back control of his own question. “Luke, in my dreams there’s a man with Leia, but she’s younger, and they call me Ben. When I found San Tekka the first thing he said upon seeing me was the name Ben. Then when I watched his memories I found one of him entering a hospital. The man I’d see with Leia is in the hallway and you and Leia are in a room standing next to a boy in a bed. The image was just a glimpse, but that boy...he looked almost like me. Was that Ben?”

   “Yes”, Luke replied.

 

   Kylo watched as the man suddenly took on a haunted look. 

 

   “I didn’t see him much due to my work, but Leia would always talk about Ben. He was quiet, shy, and gifted academically. But, as he grew older it was discovered that he had a genetic anomaly. One that runs on our side of the family. For whatever reason it decided to manifest itself in Ben and was slowly killing him. Doctors tried everything and nothing worked. Han wanted to try and get you off world but the authorities wouldn't allow it. So Leia came to me, asking that I save her son. By the time I saw him there was little left of Ben Solo. So I offered the one thing I could think of. To Replicate him. 

   Han was absolutely against it. But Leia was so grief stricken that she came to me in secret and asked that I do it anyway. The memory you saw was of me asking San Tekka for advice about using Ben’s memories as an implant for his replacement. So, after Ben passed away, I began formatting his gene sequences. I took out the anomaly and, since Snoke had me working on experimental Replicants, I began designing one of the most perfect specimens I’d ever made. But at some point Snoke got wind of my work and decided to take over. He had a different purpose in mind. And while I designed Replicants for their purchasers, Snoke is still the one that oversees their creation and has the final say on design. The Replicant Ben Solo was then edited even further and became KY10-R3N; a Blade Runner for the use of The First Order. 

   Leia couldn’t stand it when I gave her the news, but she wasn’t about to give up on her Ben so easily. She asked that I let her visit you and that I keep an eye on you while you developed. But we both knew it wouldn’t last. And it didn’t. Once you’d proven to be as exceptional as expected Snoke came to collect. Han and Leia’s relationship was already deteriorating after Ben’s death, but they’d stopped seeing each other completely by that point. So Leia left. And I took what I could of my life’s legacy and came here, to hide in shame and guilt. ...I failed to bring Ben back.”

 

   Kylo’s heart was pounding. He wanted to scream and shatter every pane of glass in the room. He wanted to beat this weak old man walking away from him to get another drink into pulp. He wanted to grab Rey’s hand, torch everything in this place, leave and not once look back. But instead he got out of his seat and rushed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. 

   He had no idea where he was going but when his vision became blurry with tears he stopped to let out the angry scream that had been building in his chest. He looked around for anything not bolted down and began throwing objects around the room and cursing everyone he’d ever known. 

 

_    It was all real! All those memories. ...Shit, even I was fucking real! And they couldn’t even let me die in peace. They ripped out my childhood and stuffed it into somebody else. I really am just a fucking Skinjob. ...And now I have a mother who gave up on me, a father who didn’t even want me, and an uncle who thought I wasn’t good enough as I was and is now ashamed of me. ...And a Master who twisted all of it. _

 

   Kylo threw himself against a wall and slid down onto the floor. He’d never cried like this before. And now he didn’t know who it was that was crying. Him or Ben Solo.  __

 

~

 

   Rey hung on every word as Luke told them the story of Ben Solo. The story of a human boy turned adult Replicant, with real genuine memories. Rey found it touching, if not a little sad, that his mother had loved him so much she wished for a second chance to be with her son, even if he was a Replicant. Whoever this Snoke person was, Rey disliked him even more. But when she looked over to Kylo he did not seem to feel the same as she did. He looked as if he was going to attack all of them at any moment. Luke’s movement towards the kitchen must have triggered something, because he leaped from his chair and stormed out the door. Rey called out to him but was only answered by the slam of the door.

 

   “Just let him go”, Luke told her. 

   “Let him go? Luke, he is clearly upset by all this.”

   “And there’s nothing you can do.”

 

   Luke had a point, there probably was nothing she could do. But it felt wrong to leave him alone. Then again, maybe he’d prefer that. She didn’t really know him that well. 

 

   “What are you doing here with him anyway, Rey. He use you to get to me?”

   “No. Well...kind of. But it was my idea to seek you out.”

   “Well you said you knew Han, and you had a friend looking for Leia, so how’d you hear about me?”

   “Well, it’s all kind of happened so quickly, but it’s a long story.”

 

   Luke waved his shot glass around at the empty room. 

 

   “I’ve got nothing but time.”

   Rey frowned. “I was out scavenging the Wastelands when I found a Replicant who said he was a member of the Resistance and had a file he needed to get to Leia Organa. I told him I knew a guy by the name of Han who’d once said he knew her and offered to take him to meet him. As we were leaving I ran into Kylo, who was looking for my friend and the file. I had seen what was on the file and saw you and Leia in them. Anyway, we got Han to agree to take my friend, Finn, to Leia, but as they were leaving Kylo showed up and tried shooting them. I attacked him, to buy them time.”

 

   At this Luke let out a drunken laugh. Rey glared at him.

 

   “You? Attacked a Blade Runner head on? Oh man. How are you still alive?”

 

   Rey felt insulted. Sure the decision hadn’t exactly been thought out but the plan had worked. 

 

   “Excuse me? I happen to be a fairly good fighter. That scar on his face...I gave him that! And had he not pinned me down and knocked me out I probably would have won.”

 

   Luke nodded and raised his glass as if to toast to her.

  
   “Fascinating. But my question still stands. How are you still alive?”

 

   Rey looked away and bit her lip.

 

   “He cut off my shock collar and took me back to his apartment. Granted I woke up tied to a chair, and when I refused to talk he started digging through my memories, but it wasn’t like I thought it would be. He was able to see what I’d seen on the file and how to find you, but I did something that allowed me to see into his memories. It scared him pretty badly and he stopped looking. He then asked what I was and… Well, anyway, then he cut me loose and fed me. Told me to get cleaned up and get some sleep while he was gone to talk to someone. When he came back he brought me a change of clothes and told me that his Master wanted to interrogate me but that he couldn’t bring himself to take me to him. So I told him we should run and that’s when I suggested we search for you. Since he seemed to know you I thought maybe you’d help him. So we left, he took me to this lady named Maz who gave me this blade, and then we came here.”

   Luke just looked her over and frowned in thought. 

 

   “Blade Runners don’t save people. And they certainly don’t save Replicants. And they don’t disobey orders in order to do so. ...What’s so special about you?”

 

   Rey slowly sat back down in the chair and shrugged. 

 

   “I don’t really know. I’m human, or...at least I think I am. Kylo seems sure I’m a Replicant. But he seems to care about me. He called me special.” At this Rey couldn’t help but smile. “I could tell he took a great risk not taking me to this...Snoke person.”

 

   Rey watched as Luke slowly walked over and sat back down. He leaned to look at her closely, tilting his head. 

 

   “He did indeed. Yet he wasn’t meant to care about others. He was meant to kill them.” 

 

   Rey swallowed and tried to think of a counter. 

 

   “Maybe. Or maybe the boy you tried to bring back to life is still somewhere inside Kylo. Would Ben Solo have saved a slave from the Wastes and offered her food, water, clean clothing, a warm bed, and protection from someone whose a danger? Because that’s what Kylo did for me.” 

 

   Luke leaned back in his chair and thought that over.

 

   “Well, that gives a little more insight into how he acts around you. ...But tell me, KY10 would know a Replicant when he sees one, yet Replicants also know their Replicants. Why do you think you’re human?”

 

   Rey rubbed at her shoulder as if to comfort herself. 

 

   “My earliest memory is that of someone leaving me with my old slave owner. I was five when I was left to live in the Wastelands. I don’t have any nice or pleasant memories of growing up. I had to learn how to fend for myself and survive, because no one else was going to help me or do it for me. 

   I was surrounded by humans and not once did anyone ever tell me I looked or seemed different. Yet after Kylo became freaked out from me looking at his memories he asked what I was. He didn’t believe me when I said I was human. He told me I was some kind of Replicant, but one he’d never seen before. He’d never had anyone push back into his thoughts or fought anyone who’d come close to killing him. And he insisted I had that glow in my eyes that he has. I didn’t believe him, so he looked for some code or number or whatever on my eyes but he couldn’t find one. Yet he had me look at my reflection and he was right. The glow was there.”

 

   Rey looked up at Luke and found him looking at her sternly. She hugged her arms and squeezed. 

 

   “What am I, Luke? ...Am I human or am I a Replicant?”

 

   Luke didn’t say anything for several minutes and Rey just assumed he wasn’t going to answer, yet just as she was deciding to leave he spoke.

 

   “Replicants aren’t created as children. It’s against the law. Solid eye color is another trait the law requires in order to help distinguish humans from Replicants. And your’s is a hazel mix of brown and green. And even in humans the percentage rate for that color is very low. Also, every Replicant despite it’s designer or company creator has to have a code imprinted. The name the Replicant goes by is found on the eyeball. Barcodes are lasered onto certain bones for categorization. If KY10 didn’t find one on you then you don’t have one. But if he has reason to believe you’re a Replicant than that also must be true.

   But in the lab, Kylo mentioned wanting to know about a baby whose mother had died. Was that something that was on San Tekka’s file?”

 

   Rey blinked as she tried to recall the images she’d watched with Finn. 

 

   “No. It wasn’t on the file. ...But I saw something about a baby when I entered his mind. Why?”

 

   Luke drummed his fingers on the armrest. 

 

   “Human populations are declining for many reasons and Replicants are the driving force behind Off World expansion. When one Replicant is created a request for twelve more is added. The supply cannot meet the demand. Snoke thought that by creating fertile Replicants, the need could be met faster. The problem of course is that this had never been done before and, again, child Replicants are forbidden. But Snoke enjoys playing God and wasn’t going to let that stop him. So he tasked me and a few other designers to begin work on experimental lines of female Replicants. They all failed of course. ...All but one. The father was a designer, a human, who’d been working on the project and had taken a liking to one of his subjects. They were both scared of course and didn’t know what to expect.

   This was also around the time Ben was taking a turn for the worst. I ended up mentioning the pregnancy to Leia and she convinced me to keep the discovery from Snoke and put me in touch with an ally of hers. It turned out to be an old Replicant from the Imperial era. He had served some time as a medic on an Off World colony and was willing to hide the couple and help them with the pregnancy. I gathered what data I could but kept it to myself and never shared it with anyone. 

   Unfortunately the mother died during childbirth. But San Tekka was able to save the child. A girl...with striking hazel eyes, just like yours. The father did his best to live normally while in hiding but, he wasn’t the same after his lover’s death. Leia would bring me updates on the two but after a few years she lot contact with them. As far as we could tell the child seemed human. 

   I was only able to get blood and hair samples once, after the birth, but it was amazing to study. It was like looking at a well designed Replicant, but done via natural selection. I actually ended up using some of the gene strands as a springboard for improving my design for what would be my next project. ...Ben. Because of that child I was able to make KY10 the closest thing to a perfected human I’ve ever made.”

 

   Rey didn’t know what to say. Or what to think. Or how that was even possible. Rey worked her mouth in an attempt to say something, but nothing would come. 

 

   “If you’re wondering if you are that child, Rey, the answer is...I don’t know. I destroyed the child’s samples after Snoke started asking about Ben. But, it would explain a lot of your story. And your age matches up with how long KY10 has been alive.”

 

   Rey’s chest was hurting. Her stomach felt like it might empty at any moment. She needed air. But she had to ask.

 

   “If...if I’m the child...then why did my father abandon me?”

 

   Luke gave her a sad look.

 

   “I don’t know, Rey.”

 

   Rey nodded and slowly got out of her chair. Clutching her stomach, she made her way towards the door.

 

   “I need some air.”     


	21. Tears In Rain

   Rey stumbled out into the hallway and away from all the doors. She could hear the crashing sounds of the water and the call of Porgs. When her eyes found the source, Rey ran towards the broken glass door and out onto an outdoor sitting area. She stumbled on the stairs and fell, catching herself with her hands. The stone floor was wet with rain, and she could feel it hitting her exposed skin, but her mind was too focused on dry heaving. After a minute of gasping for air she slowly sat back on her heels and looked up into the grey sky and began to sob.

   She wasn’t special, she was an experiment. Born out of some mad man’s curiosity with the price being her mother’s life. Had her mother even wanted her? Had she felt any love towards her daughter? Had her father really wanted her? Rey supposed that answer was clear; that he hadn’t, in the end.

   Rey tried to stop herself from thinking. Thinking was only making it harder to breathe as she was already gasping to catch her breath. Instead she tried to think of how the rain was the only thing that was clean. How it could both give life and take it.

 

~

 

   Kylo had finally dragged himself off the floor and made his way back to the Silencer, if only to grab the bag they’d brought with them. He didn’t want to see Luke, but he supposed he should check on Rey. As he drew closer to where Luke had led them he could hear someone crying out. Kylo quickened his pace and stopped in his tracks once he caught sight of Rey sitting on the ground in the rain. He dropped the bag and ran outside.

 

   “Rey! What are you doing out here?”

   She was shivering and seemed to be hyperventilating, yet she didn’t respond. Without thinking, Kylo shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her before picking her up and carrying her back inside.

 

_Shit, she’s soaking wet. How long has she been out there?_

 

   He sat her down onto the floor and crouched in front of her. Her eyes were closed and red rimmed and he noticed her nails were now digging into her arms. Kylo grabbed her face firmly.

 

   “Rey, look at me. Open your eyes and look at me.”

 

   She did, but there was nothing but pain in them. Kylo mentally scrambled to think of what to do next.

 

   “Focus on me and slow your breathing. No, look at me! Look at me and breathe.”

 

   It took her several minutes but slowly Rey began to gain control as she turned her face so as to rub her cheek against his palm. Once her breathing had slowed, Kylo slowly let go of her face and sat next to her, yet was taken by surprise as she moved to curl up against him. She didn’t say a word and neither did he, and they sat there like that till she began to shiver. He’d gotten damp running out to carry her in but water was actually dripping off of her. He didn’t know if she could get sick, but he didn’t feel like risking it.

 

   “Come on. We need to find you something warm to wear. I’d rather you not get sick.”

   “I don’t get sick”, she mumbled.

 

   Kylo didn’t ask again. He just slowly but firmly pulled her away from him and sat her upright so he could stand. Rey pulled his coat tightly around her before getting up herself. Kylo had no idea what Luke could have done to make her so upset but he would find out, just as soon as he made sure she was taken care of.

 

   “Come on”, he said in a gentle tone. “Let’s find you somewhere warm and dry.”

 

   He lead them back toward where he’d left Luke and told Rey to wait at the door. He then turned the handle and stepped inside. Luke was sitting in his chair, his head thrown back and his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Kylo slowly walked over to him, forcing himself to be a civil as he could be in that moment.

 

   “I don’t know what the hell you told her but I found her crying and hyperventilating outside in the pouring rain. She’s soaked.”

 

   Kylo could hear a faint groan come from the man. Kylo squeezed his fits to vent his irritation.

 

   “What did you tell her?”

 

   Luke moved his hand away from his face but stayed where he was.

 

   “She asked if she was a human or Replicant. Told her I didn’t know but the child you’d asked about, whose mother had died, might be her. The father was human, the mother was an experimental type of Replicant Snoke had ordered up. The father took the child, hid, and were never heard from again. I can’t prove anything, but what she told me matches a lot with the story as well as her age. That’s all I said. Kid looked like she was about to puke on my floor and ran out the door saying she needed air. That’s all I know about it.”

 

   Kylo shifted his weight as he quickly processed Luke’s words. But his anger flared at Luke’s indifference and lack of concern.

 

   “Is there somewhere that I can take her to dry off and get warm?”

 

   Luke sat up and slowly got out of his chair and shuffled over to him, yet walked right past without even looking over and headed for the door.

 

   “The heat still works on this portion of the hallway. I’ll open the suite next door. There should still be a robe or towels or something inside. Found one in mine when I got here.”

 

   Kylo followed Luke out into the hallway where Rey was still leaning against the wall. Luke didn’t even bother to look at her. He just moved over to the suite next to his, opened the door, and stepped out of the way.

 

   “Your car is parked close enough to where I can connect it to the power,” Luke began. “I have a limited amount of energy storage so it’s going to take several hours to charge, but I’ll let you know when it’s done so you can leave.”

 

   Kylo should have thanked him but instead just nodded. Rey, who would have thanked him, said nothing and just walked into the room. Luke then shuffled off without another word down the way they’d come. Kylo watched him for a moment then looked back into the suite and watched as Rey dropped their bag onto the sofa then walked into the fresher and shut the door. Kylo exhaled deeply through his nose and pulled the door closed behind him.     

 

~

 

   Rey numbly took off each article of dripping wet clothing and just stood staring at her thin frame. Even malnourished she had still seemed healthier than the other children around her. Her wounds and broken bones had always healed quicker and she could barely recall times when she was sick. And now she knew why. Luke couldn’t prove it, but she didn’t need him too. She knew.

   Rey turned away from the mirror and tried to turn on the warm water but nothing came. She would have felt disappointment but at that moment it didn’t even register. Instead she grabbed a towel and began drying her hair when a soft knock came from the door.

 

   “Rey? I found a robe if you want it. It seems like it might be warm.”

 

   Rey cracked the door open and peeked her head out. Kylo handed it to her and she took it and closed the door again. She slipped it on and took a moment to appreciate how soft it felt. Rey then wrung out her clothing and carried them out of the fresher. The room was set up in the same design that Luke’s had been but she didn’t even notice. Seeing Kylo drape his shirt and socks over a chair was what had caught her attention.

 

~

 

   Kylo had stood around for a few minutes to see if she’d come out of the fresher but the door had stayed firmly shut. So he decided to wander around and look for the robe Luke had mentioned and finally found one stashed in one of the closets. It was a little dusty but nothing he couldn’t brush off, and it was plush and seemed well made. Kylo carried it over to the door, gently knocked, and offered her his find. She’d only opened the door just enough for her to look at him and take the robe, quickly shutting the door again. He signed and walked back towards the kitchen. Since it seemed like she was going to be in there awhile, he saw no reason to sit around in a damp shirt and wet boots.

   He grabbed a dish towel and dried off his hair as best he could as he unbuckled his boots and tossed them haphazardly near one of the bar stools. Then he stripped of his socks and shirt and sat them on the back of the chair. He was unclipping his blade and gun holster when he heard the fresher door close. He looked over to see Rey slowly walking towards him, wearing the robe and carrying her wet clothes and his coat.

 

   “The shower doesn’t work”, she said.

 

   Kylo silently watched as she placed her clothes on the back of a chair two down from him and frowned at the fact she seemed to be avoiding looking at him. He moved next to her and gently took his coat from her and draped it across the chair without even looking.

 

   “Luke told me what has you so upset.” He dipped his head down a little in hopes of making her look at him. “You going to be okay?”

 

   Rey sniffed and held her head up high and tried her best to blink back her tears; some still sliding down her cheek anyway.

 

   “I’ll be fine. ...It’s just...hard...hearing the truth, after having lied to yourself for so long. It was just a painful reminder of how truly alone I am in this world.”

 

   The memories he’d seen of her birth and of her childhood replayed in his mind, and Kylo’s heart broke for her at her words.

 

   “You’re not alone. Not anymore”, he whispered.

 

   Rey actually looked up at him for that, then stole a second to look over his bare skin before meeting his eyes once more. She bit her lip as if she wanted to say something but was holding back. Finally she looked away and walked over towards the sofa.

 

   “Your cheek needs more Bacta. Come sit and I’ll put it on for you.”

 

   Kylo wanted to protest that he didn’t need it, but the thought of her fingers touching his face kept him quite and he did as she asked. He watched her as she fished the tiny tube out of the bag and sat next to him, her long legs folded under her so she could face him. He turned his cheek toward her as she leaned forward and began gently peeling away the bandages and rubbing the cold gel along his scar. Her fingertips were calloused but her touch was soft. Kylo tried not to focus on the feeling, or the fact that she was bare underneath the robe, but it wasn’t working.  

 

   “Did you know?” she asked suddenly.

   “Did I know what?”

   “What I was. Did you know?”

 

   Kylo turned his face so he could look into her endless hazel eyes. She looked scared of his answer, but had asked anyways.

 

   “No, I didn’t. But I could tell there was something special about you”, he told her. And he meant every word.

 

   Rey pulled her hand away and huffed as if she didn’t believe him then tossed the Bacta tube back into the bag.

 

   “I’m not special, Kylo. I’m an abandoned result of a twisted experiment. You’re the one that’s special.”

 

   Kylo opened his mouth to protest but she raised her hand so she could finish.

 

   “You were a real person with real, loving parents. In fact, you’re mother loved you so much that she asked for a second chance to be with you. And if Snoke hadn’t gotten involved, and with your own real memories, you might not have even known the difference. ...Luke told me that what he learned from me helped him to make you the closest thing to human he’s ever made. That’s what makes you special, Kylo. That’s what makes you real.”   

 

   Kylo felt like every inch of him was on fire. No one had ever thought of him as real, not even himself. And without even thinking about it he quickly leaned over and kissed her slightly parted lips. She didn’t pull away from him. It even felt like she was leaning into it right before he slowly pulled away to look at her. Her eyes had blown wide and were now showing off that slight glow that betrayed a part of what she was.

 

   “Being around you is what makes me human, Rey. Not something Luke did. The way I act around you, I don’t act like that with anyone else. I don’t look at others the way I look at you. And when you look at me, it’s like you actually see me for who I am. You care about others. And for once that actually makes me want to give a damn about something. You show how you feel. And you make me want to do the same. ...If I seem real it’s because you make me feel that way.”

 

   He watched as her breath hitched and her face flushed. And damn if that wasn’t the most human thing she could have done in that moment. He kissed her again, this time touching her cheek just as gently as she’d touched his. When he broke the kiss he didn’t pull away and chose instead to kiss her jaw near her ear. He didn’t want to see her eyes incase she rejected him.

 

   “Let me love you Rey. Please.”

 

   He felt her hands run up his neck and her face turn so that she nodded against his scared cheek.

 

   “Say it.” He then pulled away so he could look at her. “I want you to say it.”

 

   For the few seconds she looked at him her gaze held him still and Kylo was once again lost in her hazel eyes.

 

   “Love me, Kylo. As if you truly do.”

   “I truly do”, he breathed as he claimed her lips once more.

 

   He felt her hands slide down his neck and onto his chest, and as he deepened their kiss, he slid his down her neck and brushed aside the robe to expose her bare shoulder.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I'm a cruel person for not detailing their love scene. And trust me, it's all there in my head and I have went back and forth for months trying to decided if I should share that with you. But I decided to leave it open because that's how the film's played out theirs. It also allows you, the reader, to play out the scene however you wish. And that's not always a bad thing.


	22. Loss

_    Ben watched as his mother greeted his father with a hug then quietly whispered to him before leaving the room. He’d seen them argue, more so now that his visits to the hospital were increasing, but it was obvious they cared for one another. _

 

_    “Hey kid. I hear you’re feeling better.” _

_    “I guess.” _

 

_    His father nodded. Ben could tell he was uncomfortable being around him when he was here. But Ben wasn’t in the mood to humor him. _

 

_    “Mom seems a little happier now that you’re back.” _

_    “Oh yeah? She say something?” _

_    “No. But I can tell.” _

 

_    They both sat in awkward silence till Ben finally decided to voice what had been on his mind. _

 

_    “I wish I had time to find someone who felt that way about me.” _

_    “Don’t think like that, Ben. You might.” _

 

_    Ben glanced over at his father with a blank expression, causing him to look away and clear his throat. Ben knew he was dying and he was growing tired to people treating him like a small child who didn’t know better. His father walked over to pat his shoulder then quickly stuffed his hands into his pockets. _

 

_    “You want something? I think I’m gonna step out and get a drink.” _

 

_    Ben shook his head to decline. He had wondered how long it would take for his father to think of an excuse to step out, and he was disappointed to see it had only taken a few minutes this time around. As Ben watched him head for the door, a part of him hoped his father felt guilty for being such a coward.  _

 

~

 

   Kylo opened his eyes expecting to see the hospital room from his dream, but instead all he saw was cream walls and a head full of brown hair. He went to sit up but realized Rey was still laying on his arm. She was curled with her back up against him and a foot wrapped around his ankle. Kylo allowed himself a small smile at the sight of her and brushed the strands of stray hairs from her cheek and neck. He gently ghosted his fingertips over the light bruise he’d left on the base of her neck and smiled at the memory of giving it to her. 

   At some point during his praises of her he’d called her Sweetheart. She’d stilled and turned to look back at him with her darkened and glowing eyes and asked that he call her that again. He’d tilted her face and nipped at her neck, causing her to moan his name, then promised her he’d do so so long as she continued to make those pretty little noises that were driving him crazy. 

   Kylo wrapped his arm back around Rey and pulled her flush against him so he could better kiss the back of her neck, yet was interrupted by a soft knock at the door that was quickly followed by a harsher one. Kylo glared towards the door before pulling himself away from Rey’s warmth. If this was about his car being charged he was just going to shut the door the minute Luke was done talking. 

   Jerking the door open, Kylo found Luke looking more put together on the other side of the door than he had been yesterday. Luke looked him up and down and quirked an eyebrow.

 

   “The two of you feel better now?”

 

   Kylo glared at the man.

 

   “What do you want Luke?”

   “I want you two to get dressed. We need to leave. Security picked up three cars heading this way with First Order markings. We’ll take my car, yours isn’t ready. Meet me in the lab.”

 

   Kylo didn’t even spare a moment to shut the door or say anything to Luke, he just dashed back into the bedroom to wake Rey. She looked so peaceful laying there, but he knew there was no time to appreciate it. 

 

   “Rey? I need you to wake up Sweetheart. We have to go. Now.”

 

   Rey shifted under his touch and looked up at him.

 

   “Kylo? What’s wrong?”

   “The First Order is on their way.” 

   She sat up. “What? How?”

   “I don’t know. Luke just came by and told me. Get dressed. We’re leaving.”

~

 

   When he and Rey entered the lab they found Luke placing several data files in a cloth satchel. He looked between the two of them and waved them to follow after him as he stiffly ran down the corridors and open rooms. At one point Rey pointed out a patrol car sweeping past them and over the building. They could hear what sounded like shattering glass far behind them but none of them stopped to look back and see what was happening. They finally came to a glass room where Luke had been keeping an old Wing-T65 model car. 

 

   “Luke!” Kylo heard Rey scream. 

 

   He looked to see her grab the old man and pull him to the floor right as a missile raced towards the windows and impacted into the car. The sound up close was deafening and the shock wave sent Rey and Luke tumbling back across a glass covered floor and him into a wall. 

 

~

 

   Hux eased the Tie through the broken frame of glass and landed. As he waited for the door to slide back he could see a set of Troopers enter the room through the doorway and head over to the former designer. 

 

   “Let’s take him. Just incase he proves to be of any use”, he ordered the two men. 

 

   The girl that had been next to Luke struggled to her feet and unsheathed a Runner’s blade. Hux couldn’t help himself from letting a small, airy laugh escape him. 

 

   “PH4-SM4, get her in the car will you? Snoke wants her alive.”

 

   PH4-SM4 holstered her gun and pulled out a small metal baton that extended it’s length instantly. Hux watched as the girl tried to shake off her imbalance and swung at PH4-SM4. The young girl showed some skill, but her blade was getting deflected by the baton with ease. The Scavenger seemed to finally realize this and stepped in close to strike PH4-SM4 with an elbow to the chin. PH4-SM4 stumbled slightly but quickly brought up the baton to hit her in the face, causing the girl to fall and cry out as she landed on shards of glass. 

   Out of the corner of his eye, Hux noticed movement coming from the nearby wall and found KY10-R3N aiming his gun at PH4-SM4 as she cuffed the Scavenger. Hux moved to stop him but the shot was fired before he was able to kick the gun out of his hand. Hux leaned and reared his leg back to kick R3N forcefully in the spine. The gun fell from R3N’s hand as he fell forward. Hux looked up to see PH4-SM4 clutching her chest and looking surprised. Before he could call out a warning, the Scavenger girl threw herself into PH4-SM4, causing the Replicant to stumble backwards and out the window. Hux scowled and kicked KY10 in the side for good measure. He heard the man groan and cough up a splattering of blood. Hux then bent down and grabbed the gun. 

 

   “Oh R3N, how I’ve longed for this day.”

   “Don’t you touch him!”

 

   Hux look over at the snarling Scavenger. She had kicked her blade over towards R3N, yet as soon as his figures touched it Hux ground his boot on the Runner’s fingers, causing him to yell with a strained voice. The girl roared as she ran at him but it wasn’t much of a fight. He snatched her by the neck and whirled her around so that KY10 could see the look on her face as he pointed the gun against her head. 

 

   “Is this why you couldn’t do your job? To busy playing with your new found attack dog?”

 

   Hux felt a hand grab his leg and he kicked KY10 in the face, causing blood to ooze from his nose. 

 

   “No!” the girl screamed as she thrashed. 

 

   Hux then pointed the gun down at R3N’s limp body.

 

   “Do be a good girl and get in the car nicely. I’d hate to accidentally shoot him in front of you.” 

 

   The girl went still as she stared at R3N’s bloodied face.  

 

   “Toss the gun out the window and I’ll go with you without a fight.”

 

   Hux laughed at her. But his laughter quickly died when she turned to look at him.

 

   “Toss the gun and leave him or I’ll bust that ugly nose of yours and toss myself out the window. And I get the feeling Snoke would not be pleased that you let the only result to his breeding experiment die.”

 

   Hux frowned as he considered this. He looked back down at R3N then tightened his grip on the girl’s neck as he walked them over towards the window and threw the gun towards the crashing waves below. He then glared at her and dragged her towards the car. She coughed as he got in then pressed herself against the sliding door to look at KY10’s motionless body as they pulled away. And she stayed slumped against the door the entire ride; crying silently to herself. 

 

~

 

   Kylo’s ears felt like they were still ringing. His back ached, his ribs felt sore, his fingers and nose throbbed, and his mouth tasted metallic. He’d faintly heard what sounded like Rey scream and he’d tried to open his eyes yet all he could see was what looked like her being thrown into Hux’s car. His brain had yelled at him to move but his body had done nothing. Instead, his eyes had just closed and everything seemed to fade. 


	23. Father And Son

   Han tried to swallow down the lump that was in his throat when they came into view of the island. He’d gotten a bad feeling, and once again his gut had proven right. What looked to have been a stylish tropical resort was now a run down and broken shell of a building from a time long passed. As he moved the Falcon closer he could see what looked like two vehicles still burning and multiple panes of glass broken. They slowly hovered near the windows, trying to see anyone. 

 

   “Do you think their dead?” Finn asked.

   Han thought about it. “Not sure.”

 

   They got to one section that looked especially rough, with smoke blowing out the open window. 

 

   “Let’s take a look.”

 

   Han turned the hauler around and inched as close to the windows as he could. He set the autopilot to keep hovering in place and walked towards the back cargo hatch, with Finn close behind. With a wobbly step they made their way into the building, taking care not to slip on any of the glass. There were traces of blood and some metal looking stick. Finn walked over to it and crouched to examine it.

 

   “The First Order’s been here. My old Capitan used this kind of weapon.”

 

   Han frowned and pulled his gun from its holster and slowly made his way towards the door. 

 

   “Look around and see what else you find.”

 

   Finn rose and began looking around the burning car for anything. Han checked the hall past the door but found nothing.

 

   “Han!” Finn yelled.

 

   Han turned and sprinted over to see what the boy was looking at but stopped in his tracks the moment he saw. Slowly he placed his gun back into the holster and crouched over the bloodied body of his grown son.

 

   “I can’t believe they killed him”, Finn said in disbelief.

 

   Han looked at Ben’s chest and saw he was still taking shallow breaths. His son was still alive.

 

   “He’s not dead.”

   “What?”

   “He’s not dead! ...Help me carry him.”

   “What!”

   “You heard me!”

   “You’re kidding right? He tried to kill us, remember?”

   “I’m not leaving my son here to do die!”

 

   Finn had nothing to say to that. Han grabbed at his son’s arms and tried his best to lift him without further injuring him. He noticed Ben’s broken fingers were wrapped around a blue Runner’s blade, yet there was the hilt of one attached to his belt. Han tried not to think about the fact Maz had said he’d gotten one for Rey. 

   Han glanced up at Finn and the boy shook his head but bent down to help. The two of them carried Ben’s body back onto the Falcon and set him down as gently as they could. 

 

   “Finn, set the autopilot to head back to the Resistance hideout.”

   “Uh, okay. Yeah, I can do that.”

 

   After a few moments Han could feel the hauler begin to move again. 

 

~

 

   Kylo wasn’t sure if it was another dream or not. He smelt smoke but could hear a familiar voice yelling. Then it felt as if he was floating...or...being carried. Then there was a vibration that shook his aching bones and stirred him awake. Kylo squeezed his eyes closed then slowly opened them. 

   He was dreaming. Ben’s father was sitting next to him and looking at him with sad eyes again. Only, he didn’t remember feeling this bad in his dreams. Kylo felt a weight in his hand and tried to grasp it but was only met with a sudden flash of pain.

 

   “Easy kid. You’re in pretty bad shape.”

 

   Kylo moved his eyes to look around him. He wasn’t at the hospital, he was inside something. His head throbbed, and he tried to recall what happened. He wanted to ask where he was and what had happened, but his mouth was dry and tasted terrible. He was only able to rasp out one word.

 

   “Rey?”

 

   He watched as Ben’s father’s face grew sad and he slowly shook his head.

 

   “I don’t know. We didn’t see her.” 

 

   Kylo closed his eyes. He needed to focus. He needed to find her. He sucked in a deep breath then attempted to sit upright. He let out a pained growl as his body protested but slowly obeyed. Kylo felt a strong hand settle on his shoulder. He’d felt that hand before, in his dreams. Kylo took a second to catch his breath then looked down at his throbbing hand. It was still clutching Rey’s blade, with a finger bent at an unnatural angle. He then reached up with his other hand and gently touched his nose. It was swollen and probably bruised, but at least it didn’t feel broken. A section of his ribs felt bruised too. He moved his good hand over to his injured one and carefully removed Rey’s blade hilt.

   “Ben..”

 

   Kylo looked up to see the aged face of Ben’s father watching him with a worried expression. He slowly moved the injured hand into his lap and looked at it again. 

 

_    Fuck, this is gonna hurt. Okay. One...two… _

 

   Kylo yelled through his pain as he reset his broken finger. 

 

   “Christ, son, you couldn’t have waited till we got you to a medic?”

 

   Kylo looked back to the old man before him while blinking away his tears. He told himself to ignore the fact that this man had just called him ‘son’. 

 

   “No time. They took Luke and they took Rey. I can’t let Snoke get to her.”

 

   The man visibly swallowed then looked away and shook his head. 

 

   “First let’s get you somewhere safe. Then we’ll see what we can do.”

   “Damn it, she doesn’t have time for us to wait around!”

   “Think for a second would’a? There’s only three of us on this hauler and you’re in no condition to fight. Do you even have a plan, Ben?”

   “Stop calling me that!”

 

   Kylo watched as the man blinked for a moment then shrank back from him. 

 

   “Look, I know I was your son in a past life. I relive his memories every night in my dreams. You’re in them a lot. But I’m not Ben. ...Not anymore.”

 

   Kylo watched the man who’d once been a father to him deflate right before his eyes as his words sunk in. Kylo wasn’t sure why, but he felt sorry for him.

 

   “I’m...sorry.”

 

   The man shook his head then resumed the stoic look Ben Solo had seen many times. 

 

   “No. You’re right. I knew that. ...I knew my son was gone.” 

 

   Kylo watched as the man stood without even looking at him and a heavy sense of guilt formed in his chest. He struggled to stand but was able to do so.

 

   “Thanks. ...For getting me out.”

   “Sure, uh…”

   “Kylo.”

   “Kylo.”  

 

   The hatch from the cockpit opened and Kylo could see FN-2187 look through it. Seeing him brought his train of thought back to Rey. 

 

   “Look, I understand if you don’t want to help, but I have to stop Snoke from getting his hands on Rey.”

   “Snoke has Rey?” FN asked.

   “Hux took her. And Luke. He’ll use them both to figure out what Rey is and then it will only be a matter of time before she’s sent to the lab to be picked apart and experimented on.”

   “What do you mean? Rey’s human.”

   Kylo shook his head. “Not fully. Snoke had Luke run an experiment that was trying to breed Replicants. Rey was the only offspring produced. She’s human, but was born with Replicant traits and abilities. If Snoke is able to unlock that secret he’ll have a hold over both Replicants and humans and will have even more control over Off World expansion.”

 

   FN looked stunned. Han’s shoulders slumped even further.

 

   “Han”, FN spoke up, “We have to help her. She saved us once, it’s only right we try to do the same for her.”

 

   Kylo swallowed and looked over to Han. The man glanced up at FN then over at him. Han frowned and exhaled heavily. 

 

   “I get why Finn wants to help her, but what about you? Why is she so important to you?”

 

   Ben’s words echoed in Kylo’s mind as he remembered the feeling of Rey’s fingers combing through his hair and how her lips had felt as she’d kissed every one of his scars and old wounds. _“I wish I had time to find someone who felt that way about me.”_ Kylo licked his blood crusted lips before he spoke, his heart hurting more than the rest of his body.

 

   “Your son once told you that he wished he’d had time to find someone who loved him as much as Leia loved you. For me, that person is Rey. She’s a real person with a pure soul with a kind heart who doesn’t deserve all the horrible things that she’s endured because of what she is.” 

 

   Han’s eyes were watery but he quickly looked away and cleared his throat. 

 

   “Okay. So What’s the plan?”

 

   Kylo tried to focus his thoughts. 

 

   “He’ll have her sent off to his own personal lab that he uses from time to time, on Platform OB-99, close to the edge of the Silver Sea. I know storming into Headquarters is suicide, but if we can intercept the transport that’s taking her to the lab then we’ll have our chance.”

   “We could monitor for any vehicles flying along the Sea Wall”, Finn provided.

   Kylo nodded. “Very few know about it so it will only be either Hux himself or some of Snoke’s guards that will be transporting her. That will even the numbers. If we can engage them near the Wall that will keep any prying eyes away.”

   “Yeah, but the odds of this happening during a Swell are-”

   “Finn, don’t even bother. Odds are for droids and I don’t like to know”, Han said, waving his hand to silence the boy.    
   “So?” Kylo asked, looking between the two.

 

   Finn looked terrified, but he nodded and looked over at Han. Han scratched at his stubble then shrugged.

 

   “It’s got it’s risks, but it’s as good a plan as any, given the circumstances.”

 

   Han then threw his thumb in the direction of the cockpit.

 

   “Finn, head on up and change the autopilot settings would ya? I gotta let Leia know what we found.” He then sighed. “She’s not gonna like any of this.” 

 

   Han then moved towards the ladder but turned and looked back at Kylo and nodded his head towards a nearby bulkhead. 

 

   “Since your capable of patching yourself up, there’s a med kit over there you can use.”

 

   Then he turned and headed up the ladder. Kylo watched him till he was gone then moved over to grab the kit with his good hand. He then walked over to a nearby crate and began looking through the kit’s contents. He wanted to get back to Hanna City as quick as possible, but he was glad to use this down time for recovery. He was going to need it.  


	24. God And Mortals

   Rey looked out over the rain soaked city as they headed towards the tallest building sticking out among the rest. She took a deep breath, trying not to think of what might happen once inside. Once they were finally upon it, Rey couldn’t help but scoot as close to the windshield as she could to get a better look. The First Order building was massive. 

   Her attention was then caught by a large pair of doors that began to pull apart as they drew closer. Looking down inside, Rey counted two lines of what had to be troops of some kind waiting for them. Hux lowered the car and the doors automatically popped open and slid back. Rey stepped out and was immediately grabbed by two troopers. She stood and watched as Luke was taken from another vehicle, cuffed, and looking pissed as ever. She noticed however that his satchel was missing. Whatever had been on the files he was trying to save, she hoped they’d been left behind. Hux looked at the two of them then clasped his hands behind his back and walked towards the exit; the Troopers dragging them along after him. 

 

~

  
  


   Hux disappeared behind a large wooden doorway and left Rey and Luke to stand side by side in front of it. Rey glanced over at Luke but he was keeping his eyes on the floor. 

_    I can do this _ , Rey told herself.  _ If I survived Plutt I can survive Snoke.  _

 

   But as the doors slid open, and the Troopers shoved them inside, Rey fought to keep hold of her bravery. She blinked at the drastic change in lighting from the hallway to the room as they were pushed onwards again. 

   Rey kept an eye on her steps, for fear of stepping into the shapeless black water beneath her. Everything about the room felt off. It wasn’t pitch black yet it was difficult to see. The wooden floor and the air were the only two things that seemed still; everything else seemed to lazily shift around them, as if waiting...watching. Upon reaching the larger square platform they were both kicked, causing them to fall to their knees. Then the Troopers left, and Rey and Luke were left cuffed and kneeling in near darkness. 

 

   “Luke Walker.”

 

   Rey looked up to see who had spoken and watched as the light in the room shifted, outlining an old man sitting in a chair. 

 

   “How nice of you to finally return to us. And for you and your former...nephew...to have found my long awaited secret.” 

 

   Rey glared at the darkened silhouette of who had to be Snoke. She then glanced over at Luke. His mouth was pressed in a hard line and his eyes were distant. 

 

   “I find her discovery most interesting. I seem to recall being told that the experiment was a failure. That there had been no successful births. And yet, one of the Replicants and her Designer went missing, and all those who worked on her end up dead. Expect for you, Luke. Why is that?”

 

   Luke still said nothing. Snoke’s movement from the chair was slow, but his height was threatening enough. Luke either hadn’t noticed or didn’t care. Out of the corner of her eye Rey caught movement and watched as Hux appeared carrying a tray. He held it out to Snoke and stepped back as the old man began to place two small devices on the back of his head. Rey knew what those were. He was going to start going through their memories. Rey began to panic and looked over at Luke. Luke was now finally paying attention and seemed to understand. He then looked over and meet Rey’s eyes. He took a deep breath then slowly let it out.

 

   “Tell Ben, I’m sorry”, he whispered.

 

   Rey furrowed her brow at him, unsure of what he meant. It didn’t hit her why he’d said it till afterward. Luke closed his eyes, quickly stood, and pushed himself backwards into the shifting floor of water.

 

   “Luke!” Rey cried out.

 

   There was a splash, then nothing. Rey searched the disturbed water with her eyes. Rey had no idea how to swim but she wondered if Luke did. She looked for any sign of movement or bubbles, yet there was nothing. After a few moments, when the water began to settle back into its lazy rhythm, Luke’s body gently floated back up. Rey tried to hold back the threat of tears as she scrambled to think of a reason why he would have drowned himself.

 

_    He did it so Snoke wouldn’t see. So he wouldn’t have every piece to the puzzle.  _

 

   “How unfortunate”, Snoke commented. 

 

   Rey then felt herself hoisted up from the floor and was roughly forced to stand in front of Snoke. The man stepped toward her and she got her first true look at him in what little light there was. His eyes and cheeks were sunken, his nose a bit crooked, and a deep scar ran down his forehead. But it was the soulless blue of his eyes that scared Rey the most. They didn’t show anger or love like Kylo’s, and they weren’t haunted like Luke’s. Snoke’s eyes only showed cruelty. And Rey realized that this man was nothing like Plutt. Snoke was far worse.       

   Snoke raised his hands and placed the devices in the same place Kylo had. But unlike Kylo, who’d kept his touch to a minimum when doing so, Snoke slid his cold hands along her jaw and held her face in place so he could look at her. He shifted his head from side to side and a nasty smile full of chipped and crooked teeth revealed itself. Rey forced herself stare back at him without even blinking and channeled as much of her rage and fury into the look. 

 

   “KY10 was not wrong. You do appear human my child. But I am a god among crafted mortals, and you are not solely human. Indeed what a marvel you are.”

 

   He chuckled cruelly then and slowly pulled away his hands.

 

   “I can see why KY10-R3N allowed himself to become weak around you.”

 

   Rey glared at the man and spat out her next words.

 

   “Kylo wasn’t weak for disobeying your orders. He chose to think for himself and showed compassion. That takes strength.” 

 

   Snoke sat in his chair and gave her an amused grin. 

 

   “I’m inclined to disagree. But, it matters not. I’m not here for your words. I am here for your memories.”  

 

   Rey then felt a searing jolt race across her brain over and over again. Flashes of memories long forgotten, often remembered, and freshly made flashed by her mind’s eye. Rey couldn’t stop herself from crying out in pain. She tried to stop it but it was like trying to walk in the slippery mud, eventually falling and all the worse for it.

   When the onslaught was over, Rey sagged in Hux’s grip while Snoke laughed in delight. Rey was exhausted but urged herself to stay alert.  

 

   “Truly amazing. You’re father did an excellent job of hiding you. And with Luke and his sister’s help, unsurprisingly. ...Dear child, I don’t necessarily need you alive for study or in making KY10-R3N’s replacement, but I am curious to see what might become of the last night the two of you so passionately shared. His connection with you may prove useful after all.”

 

   Rey felt sick. She hadn’t wanted to die, but sitting around to possibly become an experiment like her mother was not something she wanted to endure just to postpone the inevitable. 

 

   “HUX, take two of the guards with you and take her to my lab. Have samples and scans begun and confine her for observation. I’ll be there once I’m done here.”

 

   Rey felt the two devices removed from the back of her head and was jerked back towards the floating steps. She was glad to be away from Snoke but Rey couldn’t help the sudden wish that she too had fallen out the window alongside the woman she’d fought on the island. And she didn’t dare think of what could have been had her and Kylo escaped with Luke. The hopelessness and heartache wasn’t worth it.


	25. Shifting Tide

   “Han, thank goodness. Did you find them?”

 

   Han sighed and shook his head. 

 

   “The First Order got there before we did. The whole place was torn up. They took Luke and the girl. They’d left...Kylo...for dead. But he’s still alive. He’s down in the cargo hold patching himself up.”

 

   Han watched as Leia closed her eyes and gripped the table for a moment before nodding. 

 

   “You were right, Leia.”

 

   Leia’s image looked back up at him and he tasted the words before saying them.

 

   “He’s not entirely our son but, Ben’s still in there. Said he still dreams about us; that he knows who he used to be.”

 

   Leia pressed her lips together and looked up, trying to hold in what he assumed were grateful tears. 

 

   “Are you on your way back?” she asked to change the topic. 

 

   Han gave her a weak smile. 

 

   “Not exactly. He’s not sure what will happen to Luke, but he seems certain Snoke’s taking Rey to some lab. Finn and I have agreed to help get her back.”

   “Han - “

   “The kid’s not going anywhere without her Leia. And apparently she’s the little girl you and San Tekka helped hide. Kenobi’s kid.” 

   He watched as realization came over Leia, and she took on a more urgent tone. 

 

   “We have to get her back. I’ll send what help I can.”

   “Leia, there’s no time. We’re almost to Hanna City and Kylo’s gotta plan to find her.”

   “Will it work?”   
   “Leia, you know I never ask that question till after I’ve done it. ...But it’s the best plan we’ve got. Finn’s going to monitor for some special transport once we near the Sea Wall. Kylo’s plan is to take them down and get Rey out. And Luke, if he’s there.”

   “I don’t know, Han. This sounds risky.”

 

   Han couldn’t help but smile at her. 

 

   “I knew you wouldn’t like it.”

 

   His heart warmed at the smart alec smile she gave him right back. 

 

   “Be careful Han. And, bring those kids home safe.”

 

   He smiled at her once more, but as the holo feed died out so too did his smile. He looked out over the edge of Hanna City as they entered its air space and got out of his chair to walk over to Finn. 

 

   “Go ahead and turn on the scanner. You know what we’re looking for?”

   “I have an idea. But I don’t know in which direction they’re heading towards.”

   “I’ll find out,” he grunted.

 

   Han then headed towards the cargo hatch and found Kylo swinging his blade. He was holding it in his right hand but quickly stopped once he went to place his injured left hand on the hilt.

   “Damn it!” he yelled out loud. 

 

   As Kylo turned Han noticed that two of his fingers had been taped together and must have been the cause of the outburst. Han took his gun out of his holster and climbed down the ladder. 

 

~

 

   “Here kid.”

 

   Kylo looked up to see Han offering him his gun. Kylo gave the man a questioning look.

 

   “It looks like your having a little trouble.”

 

   Kylo glanced down at his blade. He hadn’t realized Han had been watching him.

 

   “I’ll be fine.”

   “Just take it, would ‘ya!” 

 

   Kylo glared at him but took the gun from him and placed it in his own holster.

 

   “We’re flying over the city now. Finn wants to know in what direction we should be looking.” 

   “Head towards the factory district then turn east towards the Sea Wall. The platform is several kilometers out past it. Hux will stay low till they pass the Wall. We’ll need to come at them from above, and preferably from behind.” 

 

   Han nodded then turned to head towards the ladder but stopped right before reaching it. 

 

   “Leia was glad to hear you’re alive.”

 

   Kylo looked up at that and swallowed thickly. For what little he’d interacted with Leia, she had been just like the Leia from Ben’s memories. He felt a sudden urge to know if she still cared about him. 

 

   “So...she still cares?”

   “She never stopped caring. She still loves you.”

   “Loves me or loves what was suppose to be her son?”

 

   Kylo asked without even think. And now that he had, he was afraid to hear the answer. 

 

   “Leia never saw a difference between the two. Regardless of what Snoke did, you’ve always still been her son. And she’s never stopped loving you.” 

 

   Kylo looked away and flexed his jaw so as to try and hide the tremble of his lips. When no words came the silence was then filled with the sound of Han’s boots hitting the ladder rungs. At the sound of the hatch closing, Kylo let out the quivering breath he’d been holding in and squeezed the hilt of his blade till his fingers ached. 

 

~

 

   Rey twisted her wrists in the restraints while tugging at the tether that was bolted to the floor. She looked out the window to see their escort flying closely beside them then back down at her hands. Rey wished that the guards had sat back with her but instead she had the honor of having Hux sit in front of her, glaring at her the whole time they’d been in the air. She’d spent several minutes looking anywhere but at him, yet she could feel him watching her. Rey easily understood why Kylo hated the man.

 

   “Have you ever been to this place?” Rey asked so as to fill the awful silence.

   “I have. It is my birthplace. And your mothers. And it would have been yours too.”

   Rey swallowed. “Was…”

   “KY10? Yes. And so too shall it be for his replacement. But I wouldn’t worry yourself about that. You can just think of it as your final resting place.”

 

   Rey looked at the Replicant with cold disdain then slowly turned back toward the window. It was still raining but at least it had turned to a drizzle, and she was now able to see the Sea Wall growing ever larger in her view despite it being dark out. Gravity pulled at her stomach as they rose in elevation to clear the Wall but as it settled the car suddenly dipped. 

 

   “What are you-”

 

   But Hux never finished his question. Through the windshield they could see their escort swerving down in front of them, the tail end on fire. Then their car was bumped, causing the bottom of the car to scrape the lip of the Wall. Rey grabbed onto the tether to help keep her in place as the car descended at an angle down the Wall and into the water. Hux, to had stood to see their attacker, was thrown against the doors as they crashed and Rey’s head smacked into the window. 

 

~

 

   Hux growled as he grabbed onto the chair to pull himself up. He looked over at the girl’s unconscious form then at the guards. 

 

   “Get us back in the air!” he demanded. 

   “The engine has stalled.”

   “Then get out and see who did this while I try to fix it!”

 

   The guards climbed from their seats and opened the door. The roar of the water was deafening as the waves broke on the side of the car and tried to drag it out. Hux swore he could hear the faint sound of twirling that was typical of spinners on large craft.

 

   “Well?” he called out.

 

   The only reply he got was the sound of two gunshots. A small spray of blood made its way back into the car and Hux ducked down and grabbed his own gun. 

 

~

 

   “We found them! Right where you said they’d be!”

 

   Kylo looked up toward the hatch and quickly climbed the ladder. There was hardly any space for someone of his height to be in the cockpit but he did his best to bend down. Looking towards the area Finn pointed to, Kylo was able to make out a typical Tie-FO patroler and one of Snoke’s personal transports. 

 

   “Rey’s in that one”, he said, pointing to the longer of the two cars. He thought for a moment then asked. “Have you modified this thing with any weapon systems?”

 

   Han let out a gruff laugh. 

 

   “Of course I have! Smuggling ain’t exactly easy. There’s a turrent under the cockpit that’s remote controlled by that panel over there”, Han said pointing. 

 

   Kylo moved to the control. 

 

   “Move in so that I can hit the patrol in the rear.”

 

   He waited while Han lined up the shot then hovered his thumb over the trigger as he watched the car begin to rise. He aimed for the back spinner and nailed it, causing the vehicle to swerve and lose altitude. The car carrying Rey dipped. 

 

   “Gently nudge the ship into them right as they go over”, Kylo ordered. 

   “That’s kinda risky…”

   “Just do it!”

 

   Han grumbled but did so as easily as he could. They watched as the car scrapped the Wall and began to head for the waves. 

 

_    Shit! _ “We need to do this quick. Han, keep us in the air. Finn, take over the gun. I’m opening the hold and going out there.”

   “Hang on-” Han began in protest.

 

   Kylo removed Rey’s blade hilt from his coat and shoved it into Finn’s hand.

 

   “No matter what, once Rey is aboard, you two get her the hell out of here and get her somewhere safe. And make sure she gets this back.”

 

   Finn just looked at him with uncertainty while Han yelled for him to wait. But Kylo ignored them both and was through the hatch and down the ladder in a matter of seconds. Pulling out Han’s gun, Kylo slammed his fist against the ramp controls and held on as the wind and smell of salt water blasted over him. There were two men standing outside of the car, and Kylo took aim at each skull. 

   The Falcon hovered low enough for him to jump out. Landing on the sand and foam covered metal of the Wall edge, Kylo held his gun up once more and waited for Hux to make his next move. He slowed his pace as he neared the two dead bodies. Kylo stepped off to the side to see Rey sitting unconscious in the car; her hands cuffed. In a split second his eyes caught movement and out of instinct, Kylo aimed and pulled the trigger. Two shots went off and Kylo was suddenly struck with a painful sting in his side. Kylo blinked and leaned against the car. Hux was lying in the floor grasp his shoulder with blood oozing over his fingers. Kylo pushed himself off the car and stumbled back a little, his left hand coming away from his side smeared with blood. He looked up to see Rey looking at him with wide horrified eyes and was suddenly knocked off his feet and onto his back. 

   A wave crashed over him and he pushed whoever was on him off and scrambled to get away to breath. As he hurried to stand he turned his head so as to sling his wet hair out of his face and was grazed by the toe of a boot. Kylo lost his balance and fell back. Another kick came towards him but Kylo grabbed the boot and twisted the leg and shoved. Hux stumbled into another pounding wave. Kylo quickly got to his feet. Han’s gun was missing, but it didn’t matter now. He walked towards Hux and planted his fist right into the side of the man’s face. Hux used the momentum from the punch and kicked Kylo right in the gut. Kylo grunted as the agitated gunshot wound began to burn from the impact and sea salt. Hux then swung out and punched Kylo in the jaw. It didn’t have as much impact because Kylo was able to block the next. Hux leaned and kicked once, twice, but Kylo blocked each one.

   It was hard to see and hear, with the only light coming from the vehicles and the only sound being the waves that slapped into them constantly. Kylo again shook the strands of hair out of his face as best he could. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Hux, who was now circling and looking for an opening to strike again, but from his peripheral vision it looked like Rey’s car was starting to flood. There was yelling too, but Kylo couldn’t make it out. Another wave hit them both and Kylo could feel his energy drain. Hux then quickly flung his hand out to his side and swung it at him. Kylo leaned back and dodged to the side. The dark outline of a knife stood out from Hux’s hand. As another wave hit, Kylo felt a hard impact make contact with his bruised ribs and injured side. He doubled forward but quickly stood straight as he caught Hux’s arm that held the knife. The two men struggled for control; each snarling at the other. Kylo headbutted the man and caused him to lose his grip and pull back. Kylo let go of his arm, too stunned himself to make the move to take the weapon. 

   There was another yell. Two yells. Kylo wasn’t sure. His vision was getting blurry, weather from exhaustion or blood loss he didn’t know. Hux stumbled then reared back for another attack. Kylo’s brain yelled at him to move. But he couldn’t. The weight of a man was suddenly wrapped around him, crying out a name he wasn’t sure was his or not. Reality seemed to resume its regular speed and Kylo blinked the water out of his eyes and saw the face of Han before him. He didn’t understand what he was doing here but the look on the man’s face worried him. Kylo glanced behind Han but didn’t see Hux anywhere. Han then slouched and Kylo helped him fall to his knees, his hand hitting against a metal handle that was protruding out Han’s back. Kylo pulled it from the man and saw that it was the one Hux had meant for him. Kylo’s mouth fell agape as he dropped the knife and truly looked at the man he’d once called father in another lifetime. 

 

   “Why?”

 

   Han looked at him with pained eyes as he ran his palm down Kylo’s scared cheek.  

 

   “I wasn’t going to watch my son die a second time.”

 

   A wave washed over them then but Kylo barely noticed. As the water tried to drag Han from him Kylo was suddenly hit with a true sense of loss. Kylo sat numb as the body of his dead father now laid at his feet. It was only Rey’s scream that brought him back to the present. He turned to see Finn and Rey running towards the Falcon; Hux right on their heels. Kylo mentally cursed himself for not knowing what had happened but leapt to his feet and ran right toward Hux. 

 

~

 

   “I’m taking her down! Finn, go help Rey! I’m gonna help Ben.”

 

   Finn hadn’t even bothered to argue. The car Rey was still in was practically full of water and Kylo was still busy fighting Hux. He ran out of the cargo hold without even looking at the two Replicants and headed straight for the car with her sword still in his hand. Finn dived into the water and found Rey struggling to get her hands free. Finn swam over and used the blade to cut the tether. They both surfaced up to the roof of the car and gasped for air. 

 

   “I’ll need a minute to try and cut the cuffs off you!” he yelled.

   “No time!” she yelled back. “Just get me out of here!”

 

   They took in another deep breath and went back under the water. Finn grabbed on to Rey’s cuffs and helped pull her out of the car and towards land. Finn shook his head to sling the water off and blinked. His fear about the Swell had come true, as the waves were now almost covering the car and were nearing the hauler. 

 

   “Come on!” he yelled back at Rey. 

 

   Yet as he made a run towards the Falcon he was suddenly tackled. 

 

   “Finn!” Rey screamed. 

 

   Finn looked up to see Hux standing over him, strangling him. Finn struggled to fight the Replicant off but it didn’t seem to do any good. He heard Rey scream and caught a gleam of blue out of the side of his eye and watched as Hux went completely still. Finn glanced down and saw the tip of Rey’s blade sticking out of Hux’s abdomen, then quickly withdrawn. Finn tried prying Hux’s fingers off his neck but they were still fixed tight. Then Kylo’s angered face stepped into view and pulled the stunned Replicant off of him. Finn gasped and felt Rey’s hand grab hold of his and hoist him up. He watched as Kylo dragged Hux by the throat towards the waves and held him down under the water. 

 

   “Get the ship ready for take off! I’ll get him!” Rey yelled into his ear.

 

   Finn didn’t want to leave her, but he knew they needed to go. The waves were now washing onto the cargo ramp. He nodded then ran as fast as he could and climbed into the cockpit and looked over the autopilot. He still didn’t really know how to fly the thing, but he knew how to make it take them back to the Resistance base. 

 

~

 

   Kylo slowed his run as he watched Rey take hold of her blade and pierce Hux right through the back. He didn’t have the energy to smile, but on some level that was still able to comprehend emotion, he was proud of her. Proud of her bravery, her skill, and her want for vengeance. But he wasn’t done with Hux yet. Rey may have sealed his fate but Kylo wanted to be the one who watched the light leave Hux’s eyes, just as he’d had to with Han.

   Rey seemed too stunned by her action to even notice Finn was still choking, and Finn was still unable to get Hux off of him. Kylo was happy to oblige. He snatched Hux by the neck and drug him towards the ever demanding waves. The Silver Sea had already claimed three bodies, and he would happily give it a fourth. He plunged Hux down into the water, ignoring the waves also trying to drowned him. He tightened his grip and felt Hux’s hands loosen around his wrist. Hux was dead, he was sure, but he couldn’t seem to make himself let go. 

 

   “Kylo! Kylo! We need to go! Please!”

 

   Kylo looked away from Hux’s dead body and through his wet strands of hair saw Rey standing as close to the water as she dared, calling out to him. He loosened his grip and felt Hux pulled away from him. He trudged with what strength he had left through the water towards Rey. She came up to him and helped support him as they walked towards the hauler. 

   Rey set him down next to a crate and slammed both her fists against the ramp controls. Kylo could feel the ship move and begin to lift in the air. He was so tired. He closed his eyes and hoped he’d dream of real, warm sunlight this time.        


	26. Snow Is A Blank Canvas

_    Ben listened to the crunch of snow beneath his boots as he walked. He needed to head back home, as he’d already been out in the cold longer than he was allowed. He hadn’t meant to wander so far but he’d just wanted to get away from his mother’s fretting. Noticing something different, he stopped in his tracks and looked around. The snow had stopped falling and a small yellow crack was forming in the grey clouds. _

_    He pushed back his hood and pulled his face cover off to watch as yellow beams of light broke out through the cloud cover and lit everything around him. Ben watched for as long as he could till his eyes began to water. He looked away and noticed how the light shifted over a dead pale tree, the light chasing away the darkened shadows.  _

_    Ben felt compelled to touch it, and quickly removed one of his gloves and placed his hand upon the tree. The bark itself was still cold but Ben could feel a slight warmth that came from the light covering his hand. As the light shifted it moved up his arm and onto his face. Ben closed his eyes as he felt the soft warm touch. His hand became cold then, and Ben opened his eyes to see the shadow chasing away the light. He looked back up and watched as the beams of light began to shrink and disappear one by one, till the sky once once again grey. Ben had never felt so at peace. As he covered himself and resumed his pace, he tried to hold on to what it had felt like to touch true natural light, and he hoped he’d get to feel it again.  _

 

_ ~ _

 

_    Kylo had never seen natural light, but he was sure he’d felt it. It felt soft and had wrapped it’s warmth around him once, chasing away the cold loneliness he’d always felt. It’s touch was like feather-lite kisses on his skin and it’s soft glow made his eyes water not from pain, but from joy.  _

 

_    Even now Kylo felt as if he was in that field, laying where Ben had once stood. He felt cold and distant and numb all over. He needed to get home, but didn’t want to move. Then a soft voice whispered his name and a soft warmth covered his hand and touched face. It felt just like that ray of light that had once touched Ben. _

 

   Kylo opened his eyes and squinting against the harsh light till a shadow moved in front of it. He blinked for a moment then began to recognize the face that was looking back at him. 

 

   “Rey?”

 

   He watched a smile formed on her lips as he reached out to touch her face. Her cheek was cold but the tear that he wiped away with his thumb was warm. Kylo moved to sit up but winced in pain and stopped.

 

   “Careful,” Rey warned. “The medic said you lost a lot of blood.”

 

   Kylo clinched his teeth and finished sitting up. His head throbbed and his vision wavered. He leaned his head against the cold wall and closed his eyes. The cot shifted as Rey’s thin frame wrap around him. 

 

   “I’m pretty sure I should be dead by now”, Kylo half-heartedly joked. 

   “I thought you were”, Rey replied after a moment’s pause.  

 

   Kylo looked down to see her head resting on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her as best he could and kissed her hair. 

 

   “I’m alive because of you and Han.”

 

   Rey looked up at him.

 

   “You kept Hux from killing me on the island and Han refused to leave me there. Then he gave his life for me. Said...that he didn’t want to watch his son die again.”

 

   Rey gave him a small, sad smile.

 

   “Seems your father loved you after all.”

   “Yeah, I guess so.”

 

   Rey rested her head against him once more.

 

   “...You know, Han was one of the few people that showed me any kindness. I’ll miss him. I just wish I could have thanked him. For helping Finn. For saving you. For trying to save me.” She looked back up at him again and looked him over. “Thank you for coming back for me. I assumed it was you who knew how to find me.”

   He nodded. “I’m just glad Finn was able to get you out.”

   “Yeah,” she chuckled, “Me too. Make sure you thank him. I would have drowned if he hadn’t.” 

   “I have a lot to thank Finn for. I would have never found you if it hadn’t been for him.” 

 

   Rey looked up at him through her lashes. He badly wanted to kiss her, but the thought of teasing her in that moment seemed to good an opportunity. Kylo couldn’t help the small grin that spread across his face. 

 

   “And I’m really glad you were stupid enough to challenge me.”

 

   Rey pulled back slightly to look at him with disbelief and scoffed. He couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped. It felt good to laugh, even if it did hurt his ribs. Slowly a small smile crept onto her cheeks. 

 

   “I think I held my own well enough.” 

   “You did”, he nodded. “And I will wear proof of your bravery for the rest of my life.”

 

   Rey’s smile faded as she looked over at his scar.

 

   “Don’t look at me with pity, Rey. I was given that look for years as a child. If anything, it reminds me of you. Of your courage and ferocity, and of your concern and tender touch. All things I love about you.”

 

   She sat and looked at him for a moment then leaned in close and kissed him. He leaned into her, ignoring the pain it caused, and deepened their kiss. He’d almost lost is ray of light, his Sweetheart, and he didn’t want to let her go.

  
  
  


   Rey was halfway into his lap when they heard someone loudly clear their throat. Rey quickly pulled away but he stayed where he was, still wanting more. Rey looked over at the door then over to him. 

 

   “I’ll leave you two alone. She’s been waiting to see you.”

 

   He watched Rey walk towards the door and noticed Leia standing in the doorway, giving Rey a look that he could see caused her to blush. When the door closed behind her Leia looked over at him and laughed. 

 

   “After all these year and everything that’s happened, this is not how I thought we’d meet again. Mind if I sit?”

 

   Kylo shook his head, to let her know she could and to dispel the state of fog kissing Rey had left his brain in. Leia pulled up a chair, sat in it, and just stared at him with a warm smile. Eventually she laughed again. 

 

   “There was so much I had wanted to say, but now that you’re here I don’t know where to start.”

 

   Kylo watched as her eyes grew watery. 

 

   “I missed you.” 

 

   Kylo swallowed and nodded.

 

   “Han...told me you still thought about me.”

   “I did. All the time.” 

   “I’m sorry he didn’t make it.”

 

   At that Leia looked at her hands and sniffed.

 

   “Your father was a stubborn fool, ...but a good man. I asked him to bring you three home...and he did.”

   “I’m alive because of him.”

 

   Leia looked back up at him and gave him a thin smile. 

 

   “He gave his life to save mine.”

   “...He told me you didn’t want to be called Ben but...you will always be our son. I’m just sorry I left you. I just didn’t know what I could have done.”

   “I did hurt to have you just walk out like that. And for Luke to just cast me away.”

 

   He watched as a tear trickled down his mother’s cheek. It dawned on him then that he truly did think of her has his mother, though he wasn’t sure if he was ready to share that with her just yet. 

 

   “But I understand,” he finally said. “There wouldn’t have been anything you could have done. 

 

   His mother sniffed and nodded, seemingly grateful that was true. 

 

   “At least you’re here now.”

   “And just where is ‘here’ exactly?”

   “Rey didn’t tell you?”

   “...Uh, no, she didn’t.”

 

   Leia smiled at that.

 

   “It’s one of our hideouts in the northern Wildlands. Finn brought you all back here. I’m glad you were able to get Rey back. You have no idea how special she is.”

   “Oh, I think I do.”

 

   That caused her to laugh and sit back in the chair. 

 

   “I guess you do. ...It’s nice to see you finally found someone Ben. I know that used to be a regret of yours.”

 

   Kylo still felt strange thinking of himself as the boy from his dreams, but he suppose he was going to have to accept it. Rey felt that it made him real. Who was to say it didn’t?

 

   “Yeah, me too. What will happen to her?”

 

   Leia shrugged. “She needs to keep a low profile. I offered to let her stay here in the Wildlands, where we can make sure none of Snoke’s men come looking for her. An old friend of your father’s said he might be able to smuggle her off world, but I said I would leave that up to her. I promised her mother I’d do what I could to keep her safe and I will do my best to honor that promise.” 

   “The Resistance isn’t interested in using her?”

   “I’m not. And what I say goes. Her secret should stay just that. She gives us hope for a future that one day things will get better for both humans and Replicants, and that’s good enough for me.”

 

   He nodded, grateful for the care and protection she was giving Rey.

 

   “Thank you.”

 

   Leia smiled then rose from the chair and headed for the door. 

 

   “Mother? ...I missed you too.

~   

 

   Finn and told him Rey was outside on the steps and sure enough, there she sat. He opened the door and watched as she sat on the steps and felt the snow in her hands. Kylo walked over to her and sat next to her. 

 

   “Leia’s letting me stay in one of the old apartments here. I’m not really sure what I’ll do though. I’ve never been free or ever wanted to think about my future before.”

   “Yeah. Me neither.”

 

   Rey laid back on the steps and Kylo decided to do the same. They both laid there, staring into a light grey sky and watching the tiny frozen flakes fall on and around them. Kylo then felt Rey’s cold hand slide into his and he grasped it in response. 

   They didn’t say anything, and they didn’t need to. They both had no idea what lied ahead for them but they knew they’d face it together. And that’s all Kylo cared about. He was free, like a human, and now had the chance to finish living out his life. And he wanted to be by Rey’s side as she did the same. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone so much for taking the time to read my story and leave kudos and comments. This was a lot of fun to create and I hope you enjoyed reading it. (Much love!)


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